Summary

• Edgar Wright is remaking Stephen King's The Running Man with Glen Powell cast in the lead role of Ben Richards.
• The Running Man remake was officially confirmed in 2024 at CinemaCon, with Edgar Wright attached as director.
• The film may stick closely to King's novel, showcasing the biting satire about 1980s culture in a modern setting.

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

Glen Powell Is Cast In The Running Man Remake

The Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You star is the first name added to the cast list and he will be playing the lead role, presumably Ben Richards.

Not long after the project was given a shot in the arm in late 2023, the latest news sees Glen Powell cast in the remake of The Running Man. The Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You star is the first name added to the cast list and he will be playing the lead role, presumably Ben Richards. The announcement of Powell's casting came at CinemaCon in April 2024, and he is the third name attached to the project after director Edgar Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall.

The Running Man Remake Is Confirmed

Edgar Wright Is Directing The Remake

Despite news regarding the film's script dating back to 2023, the Running Man remake wasn't officially confirmed until it was announced at CinemaCon in April 2024. This is welcome news for fans of the Stephen King cult classic, especially with the confirmation that Edgar Wright is still attached to direct.

Stream The Running Man on AMC+, Pluto TV, and Showtime.

The Running Man Remake Cast

Glen Powell Will Star In The Stephen King Remake

So far, the only name attached to the cast of The Running Man is Glen Powell, and he will star in the lead role of Ben Richards that was previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. 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 about 1980s culture, and Edgar Wright is the perfect choice to bring the themes into the modern day.

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  The Running Man

  Summary:

  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.

  Release Date:

  1987-11-13

  Budget:

  $27 million

  Cast:

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

  Director:

  Paul Michael Glaser

  Genres:

  Sci-Fi, Thriller, Action

  Rating:

  R

  Runtime:

  101 minutes

  Writers:

  Steven E. de Souza