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The year is 2025, and the stakes have never been higher—both on and off the screen. Director Edgar Wright has finally brought his long-awaited vision of Stephen King’s (writing as Richard Bachman) The Running Man to theaters, and it is a far cry from the neon-soaked, pun-filled Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner of 1987.
Released on November 14, 2025, this new adaptation trades the "super-soldier" tropes for a gritty, grounded, and terrifyingly plausible look at media-saturated authoritarianism.
A Desperate Hero for a Dark Age
At the heart of the film is Glen Powell as Ben Richards. Moving away from his charismatic "golden boy" roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters, Powell delivers a raw, visceral performance as a blacklisted laborer living in the slums of a decaying America.
Unlike the 1987 version, where Richards was a framed soldier, the 2025 Richards is a man pushed to the brink by poverty. Desperate to afford life-saving medication for his infant daughter, Cathy, he signs up for "The Running Man"—the crown jewel of the "Network’s" violent reality TV lineup.
The Deadly Game
The rules are simple but brutal:
The Head Start: Richards is given $1,000 and a 12-hour head start.
The Hunt: He must survive for 30 days while being pursued by elite assassins and a public incentivized by bounties to report his location.
The Reward: A grand prize of $1 billion.
The Catch: He must film himself twice a day to prove he is still "in play," turning his struggle for survival into a mandatory vlogging exercise for a bloodthirsty audience.
A Powerhouse Cast
Wright assembled a stellar ensemble to populate this dystopian nightmare:
Josh Brolin radiates a chilling, corporate menace as Dan Killian, the show’s ruthless executive producer.
Colman Domingo shines as Bobby Thompson, the charismatic but soul-dead host who manipulates public opinion with every broadcast.
Lee Pace plays Evan McCone, the masked and lethal leader of the hunters.
Michael Cera and William H. Macy provide emotional weight as rebels and outcasts who aid Richards on his journey through the ruins of the East Coast.
Legacy vs. New Vision
While the film has faced a polarized reception—earning a 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and struggling at the box office with a $69 million global haul—critics have praised its faithfulness to King’s original novel. Wright uses his signature kinetic editing and rhythmic pacing to mirror the frantic nature of the hunt, but he balances it with a bleakness that reflects modern anxieties about deepfakes, surveillance, and the wealth gap.
The film’s portrayal of "The Network" feels uncomfortably familiar, using propaganda and manipulated media to turn a desperate father into a public villain.
The Running Man (2025) box office performance 👇
The Running Man (2025) did modest business in theaters, earning under ~$70 million worldwide against a $110 million budget — classifying it as a box office underperformer, though it gained more traction once it hit streaming.
What’s Next?
If you missed its theatrical run, The Running Man has already sprinted onto digital platforms as of December 2025. It is scheduled to make its streaming debut on Paramount+ on January 13, 2026, where it is expected to find a second life among sci-fi enthusiasts and Stephen King devotees.
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