Multi-talented director Edgar Wright is remaking Stephen King's , and there are already exciting updates about the project. Originally written under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, King's The Running Man is set in a dystopian future where a man participates in a deadly game show in order to win money to support his family. The novel served as a precursor to later popular fiction like Battle Royal and The Hunger Games and is generally considered one of King's more underappreciated minor works.
Naturally, Hollywood came calling to adapt the book in 1987 and screen icon Arnold Schwarzenegger was tapped to play the lead role of Ben Richards. Stephen King wasn't too fond of the adaptation, and the movie received mixed reviews along with a mildly disappointing box office performance (via Box Office Mojo). However, modern reassessments of the film have been more positive, and Scott Pilgrim vs the World director Edgar Wright has specifically mentioned The Running Man as the film he would most like to remake. After years of silence, the project is moving forward.

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Why The Running Man Is The WEIRDEST Stephen King Adaptation
The Running Man is the weirdest Stephen King adaptation, with lots of Arnold Schwarzenegger quips, and different from the bleak Richard Bachman novel.

With the movie wrapped, and a release date planned, the next step in the post-production process.
With work plugging away behind-the-scenes for months, the latest news confirms that the Running Man remake has finally wrapped filming. The news was broken by director Edgar Wright, who shared a photo of himself with star Glen Powell on Instagram. In the image, from the cast and crew. With the movie wrapped, and a release date planned, the next step in the post-production process.

Despite a slew of promising updates throughout the years, it wasn't until October 2024 that The Running Man remake finally scored a release date. Originally, the Stephen King film was scheduled to arrive on November 21, 2025, but this put it head-to-head with the blockbuster Wicked: For Good. Now, , a date that will allow it to flourish financially without such stiff competition.
This date comes a year or so after the film began filming, meaning it will likely have no issues keeping on track and arriving on time. What remains to be seen is if the remake will change its release date again at any point in the coming year, especially if more big-budget movies start getting November 2025 release dates.
The original Running Man premiered on November 13, 1987.
The first name attached to the cast of The Running Man was Glen Powell. The announcement of Powell's casting came at CinemaCon in April 2024, and previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Joining Powell is in an unknown role as a fellow contestant. Likewise, Civil War's Karl Glusman has been cast.
, and he will be playing a villain named Dan Killian. It was specified upon announcement that Brolin would play the ruthless producer of the game show, and not the host character originally played by Richard Dawson in the 1987 film. Lee Pace (The Hobbit) has joined the movie as one of the deadly hunters, Evan McCone, who attempts to track and kill Powell's Ben Richards. Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs The World) will reunite with director Edgar Wright when he plays a rebel named Bradley Throckmorton.
Jayme Lawson (The Batman) will appear as Richards' wife, Sheila, while Katy O'Brian (Love Lies Bleeding) plays an as-yet-unnamed fellow contestant. Emilia Jones (CODA) is set to play Amelia, a woman taken hostage by Ben Richards during the course of the game, and William H. Macy (Shameless) plays an ally to Ben's cause. David Zayas (Dexter) plays Richard Manuel, while Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) plays an unknown role. Colman Domingo (Euphoria) will play Bobby, the smarmy game show host who torments Ben throughout the games.
The cast of The Running Man remake includes:
Actor | Running Man Role | |
---|---|---|
Glen Powell | Ben Richards | ![]() |
Josh Brolin | Dan Killian | ![]() |
Lee Pace | Evan McCone | ![]() |
Katy O'Brian | A Contestant | ![]() |
Daniel Ezra | A Contestant | ![]() |
Karl Glusman | A Hunter | ![]() |
Jayme Lawson | Sheila Richards | ![]() |
Michael Cera | Bradley Throckmorton | ![]() |
Emilia Jones | Amelia Williams | ![]() |
William H. Macy | Unknown | ![]() |
David Zayas | Richard Manuel | ![]() |
Sean Hayes | Unknown | ![]() |
Colman Domingo | Bobby Thompson | ![]() |

Recent Stephen King Movies | Release Year | Rotten Tomatoes Score |
---|---|---|
Firestarter | 2022 | 11% |
Mr. Harrigan's Phone | 2022 | 45% |
The Boogeyman | 2023 | 61% |
The Life of Chuck | 2024 | 84% |
Salem's Lot | 2024 | 53% |
Though the format of Stephen King's story is familiar in the 21st century, he was actually at the forefront of the genre when he wrote . If the film sticks to the novel closely, . The most important aspect of King's story is its biting satire of 1980s culture, and Edgar Wright is the perfect choice to bring the themes into the modern day.