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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[CyberpunkCentral]

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

[CreasyBear]

Yes. Slay me, Mr. Wright.

[stvn1974]

Simon Pegg for the Ahnuld role.

[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.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by CyberpunkCentral

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

It isn’t.

[mwynn]

So how close is the movie to the book? Some would say not very — the movie has a love interest for the main character that the book does not, the world of the movie is much more colourful and over the top, whereas the book is very gritty and dreary, with the Games Network building standing as a sleek monument in the midst of Co-op City’s impoverished slums. The Richards character in the book is basically alone, though he does meet a guy who helps him during his run, while in the movie, Richards has Amber, Laughlin and Weiss by his side. The movie also has more of an organized resistance to the Games Network, whereas the book shows that everyone is pretty much out for themselves. However, the core of the story is still there, with Richards fighting against the Gaming Network and being forced to run for his life from men intending to kill him.

http://theactionelite.com/the-runnin...ie-comparison/

[GaragePoet]

the story & movie bear almost no resemblance, the original being a lo-fi dystopian thriller & the latter being peak 80s Arnie extravaganza. certainly room for both, but i would def enjoy seeing an accurate adaptation.

i am curious, tho, b/c doesn't the original story end w/

[Show spoiler]a plane being flown into the network building?