The Running Man (2025)

[Himmel]

Paramount Pictures is making a deal with Edgar Wright to develop to direct a new adaptation of The Running Man, the futuristic novel by Stephen King that the author first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. This won’t be a remake of the 1987 film that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger; the Baby Driver writer/director will co-write the story with Michael Bacall, and they will be much more faithful to King’s bestselling novel. Bacall will write the script.

Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon will produce through his Genre Films banner, alongside Nira Park from Wright’s Complete Fiction banner. Kinberg brought the idea to Emma Watts, based on their long relationship, and then Kinberg courted Wright. While the filmmaker is very selective, the prospect of a new The Running Man is one that has intrigued him; to the point that when asked if he could remake any film, he would choose that one. This was back in 2017. Now it has become real.

This becomes a top priority pic for Paramount, and a novel, which King published as a paperback back in 1982, a dystopian thriller that still feels prescient in the current collision between pop culture and politics, this before social media ratcheted up the stakes. Paul Michael Glaser directed the original, and Schwarzenegger starred with Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, with the late Richard Dawson playing the over-caffeinated and manipulative game show host who narrated a battle to the death where contestants went against paid gladiators, in the backdrop of an oppressive government sending dissidents to their death for huge ratings in hi-tech gladiator matches. •••

[mwynn]

Franchise starter.

[dallywhitty]

omg?

I won't lie, as much as I consider myself a Stephen King fan, I've never actually read the novella. I think it's because I've never got past Roadwork, which is Book #3 of The Bachman Books (The Running Man is Book #4, FYI). Somebody with balls needs to adapt Rage and The Long Walk, though.

[Troy Perkins]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

omg?

I won't lie, as much as I consider myself a Stephen King fan, I've never actually read the novella. I think it's because I've never got past Roadwork, which is Book #3 of The Bachman Books (The Running Man is Book #4, FYI). Somebody with balls needs to adapt Rage and The Long Walk, though.

Road Work was a great story and would make a nice stripped down 90min movie adaptation.

Never cared for The Running Man novella - maybe because I’d seen the movie too many times as a kid in the late 80s and the book was so, so different. It was a loose adaptation but it wasn’t one of his better stories.

Always thought the best Bachman was the excellent Thinner!

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Troy Perkins

Road Work was a great story and would make a nice stripped down 90min movie adaptation.

Never cared for The Running Man novella - maybe because I’d seen the movie too many times as a kid in the late 80s and the book was so, so different. It was a loose adaptation but it wasn’t one of his better stories.

Always thought the best Bachman was the excellent Thinner!

And Thinner has a quite enjoyable movie adaptation as well. In fact I find that Thinner movie adaptation to be great.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Troy Perkins

Road Work was a great story and would make a nice stripped down 90min movie adaptation.

Never cared for The Running Man novella - maybe because I’d seen the movie too many times as a kid in the late 80s and the book was so, so different. It was a loose adaptation but it wasn’t one of his better stories.

Always thought the best Bachman was the excellent Thinner!

I really ought to give Roadwork another try, but when I was younger, I just couldn't penetrate it and it put me off reading The Bachman Books in full.

Thinner is really good, but my heart belongs to Rage. I'd love to see a film adaptation, but given the controversies it's elicited and King basically disowning it, I doubt it'll ever happen.

[DragonOfTheBlackPool]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

omg?

I won't lie, as much as I consider myself a Stephen King fan, I've never actually read the novella. I think it's because I've never got past Roadwork, which is Book #3 of The Bachman Books (The Running Man is Book #4, FYI). Somebody with balls needs to adapt Rage and The Long Walk, though.

Roadwork is the weakest of the four. If you can get through that, there’s no excuse for skipping out on The Running Man.

[Snikt]

So...finally gonna get that 4K Blu-ray of Arnie’s classic (to help promote the new film)?

[mwynn]

Originally Posted by Snikt

So...finally gonna get that 4K Blu-ray of Arnie’s classic (to help promote the new film)?

Who owns the rights to the previous movie?

[Snikt]

Originally Posted by mwynn

Who owns the rights to the previous movie?

From what I’ve been told on here, Paramount

[Ill_Be_Back]

Originally Posted by Snikt

So...finally gonna get that 4K Blu-ray of Arnie’s classic (to help promote the new film)?

Again just with the True Lies redo I'm happy if this happens!

[dylrichard02]

Originally Posted by Snikt

So...finally gonna get that 4K Blu-ray of Arnie’s classic (to help promote the new film)?

Hope you're right, would buy day 1.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Snikt

So...finally gonna get that 4K Blu-ray of Arnie’s classic (to help promote the new film)?

I really hope so.

[kylor]

This won’t be a remake of the 1987 film that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger

Good.

I'll give it a fair shot.

[Darth Marcus]

I'll watch anything this man directs.

[stvn1974]

I like the Ahnuld film and the novella and am in for another take. As long as it is rated R, that is.

Also, Rage has a .000000000000001% chance of ever getting a film adaptation. Same goes for a remake of Apt Pupil.

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

So let me get this straight? Remakes/redos are fine as long as its by a director you like?

Otherwise everyone be whining about Hollywood and their lack of creativity.

Got it.

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Lawrence Fan

So let me get this straight? Remakes/redos are fine as long as its by a director you like?

Otherwise everyone be whining about Hollywood and their lack of creativity.

Got it.

This is not a remake of the 80's Running Man movie.

[CyberpunkCentral]

I hear that the Arnie version is nothing like the original novel anyway.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by CyberpunkCentral

I hear that the Arnie version is nothing like the original novel anyway.

It isn’t.