The Running Man Remake: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know About Edgar Wright's Stephen King Movie (2024)

Multi-talented director Edgar Wright is remaking Stephen King's The Running Man, 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 cop is falsely imprisoned and must compete in a deadly game show to secure his freedom. 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.

The Running Man Remake Latest News

A New Cast Member Joins The Running Man

With the movie finally on the release calendar, the latest news confirms a new cast member has joined The Running Man. Fresh off his stint as the starring role in the popular CW series All American, Daniel Ezra has been tapped to play a role in the Stephen King adaptation. Nothing is known about Ezra's role, though his casting suggests more names will be added soon.

The Running Man Remake Release Date

The Running Man Returns In November 2025

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. Now, the Stephen King film is scheduled to arrive on November 21, 2025. This comes a year or so after the film is slated to begin 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 at any point in the coming year.

The Running Man Remake Cast

Glen Powell Will Star In The Stephen King Remake

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 he will star in the lead role of Ben Richards, who was previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Joining Powell is All American star Daniel Ezra in an unknown role. Though the cast list is rather scant now, the addition of Powell likely means other cast members will be added soon, and it will likely be a star-studded affair if Edgar Wright's previous works are any indication.

The Running Man Remake Story

A Falsely Accused Man Competes On A Deadly Game Show

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 The Running Man. If the film sticks to the novel closely, it will see police officer Ben Richards accused of a crime he didn't commit and forced to compete on a deadly televised game show to win his freedom. 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.

8/10

The Running Man

R

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Action

Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, The Running Man is a sci-fi action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Ben Richards, a former cop who's forced to compete in a deadly game show where criminals fight for their lives. The 1987 movie is based on a Stephen King novel under his pen name Richard Bachman.

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Director

Paul Michael Glaser

Release Date

November 13, 1987

Writers

Steven E. de Souza

Cast

Maria Conchita Alonso , Yaphet Kotto , Jesse Ventura , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Richard Dawson

Runtime

101 minutes

Budget

$27 million