When most people think of The Running Man, they picture Arnold Schwarzenegger firing off one-liners in spandex while villains shout over neon smoke machines. Having watched both the original 1987 film and the 2025 remake, I was expecting a retro-futuristic action ride. And yes – both deliver adrenaline fueled spectacles. But what struck me is how differently each version interprets Stephen King’s 1982 novel, and how the remake makes for great entertainment and packs a much richer emotional punch.
The original 1987 film, directed by Paul Michael Glaser of Starsky & Hutch fame, features Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger), a falsely accused police officer framed for a massacre he was trying to stop. After a dramatic prison break, Richards lands on the radar of Damon Killian (Richard Dawson), the producer and host of The Running Man, a live TV blood sport where convicts are hunted and killed. And in classic sci-fi fashion, the film is set in the “far” future of… 2017.
Stephen King’s 1982 novel is actually set in 2025. Coincidence? Written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the book trades King’s typical supernatural horror (The Shining, Christine) for dystopian grit. The 2025 remake, by Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim), follows the book more closely.
The film also includes a small homage to Schwarzenegger’s original; a detail fans will enjoy spotting themselves.
Here, Ben Richards played by Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You) is a working-class man blacklisted for defying co-workers. With his daughter critically ill, he secretly enters the deadly game – a decision that raises the emotional stakes.
One of the smartest updates is to split the original Damon Killian role in two: Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) – warm-hearted executive producer, real power behind the scenes and Bobby Thompson (Colman Domingo) – charismatic on-air host who sells the blood with a smile.
Both films take place in a future dystopian America, but the worlds look very different. 1987: flashy, exaggerated police state – society addicted to televised violence. 2025: founded, plausible dystopian – poverty, surveillance, failing health care, media exploitation.
The world of the remake feels closer to King’s novel and today’s reality. Powell delivers a grounded, humane, strong but not invincible Richards. Brolin’s icy C-suite executive contrasts perfectly with Domingo’s magnetic host. Wright’s direction—sharp pacing, smart visual storytelling, and light but effective emotional beats—makes the remake exciting, entertaining, and human.
The movie builds up the tension brilliantly, and the ending delivers a lot of action, but it doesn’t quite end where I expected it to. Rather than a final showdown or twist, the story ends decisively, letting the stakes, emotion and chaos land in a way that leaves a strong impression. It’s a conclusion that feels satisfying in its own way, even as it subverts expectations for a traditional climactic finale.
During different film experiences, the core message streams across both films. It’s when society hits rock bottom, broken systems benefit the most from the people who can least afford it. The movie is a terrifying idea that transcends explosions and TV theater – and the 2025 version delivers it with resonance in the form of a reality, but deadly and potentially disturbing TV game show.
Running Man Run Time is 133 minutes and is now in theaters.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars)
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Greg Gazinalso known as the Gadget Guy and Gadget Greg, is a syndicated veteran tech columnist, communications, leadership and technology speaker, facilitator, blogger, podcaster and author. Reach him @gadgetgreg or at GadgetGuy.ca.