If it weren’t for the existence of Brett Leonard’s The Lawnmower Man, Paul Michael Glaser’s The Running Man would easily earn the title of “loosest movie adaptation of a Stephen King story.” (King actually sued to have his name legally removed from the former). Elements of the author’s story remain – including the dystopian setting, deadly government-sponsored game shows, and a few character names – but the 1987 film is first and foremost an “Arnold Schwarzenegger Action Flick.” As a Schwarzenegger fan and recognizing the production for being very much of-its-day, I take no real issue with it for being that (and I particularly appreciate its endless deluge of puntastic one-liners)... but I’ve also wanted to see a proper faithful take on the source material ever since I first read The Running Man years ago.
Release Date: November 14, 2025
Directed By: Edgar Wright
Written By: Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright & Michael Bacall
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Colman Domingo, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Karl Glusman, Katy O’Brian, Martin Herlihy, and William H. Macy
Rating: R for strong violence, some gore, and language
Runtime: 133 minutes
