Spoilers for the ending of Stephen King’s novel The Running Man are below.
Summary
Even with Edgar Wright’sThe Running Manpromising to be a faithful adaptation ofStephen King’s dystopian sci-fi novel, the director is still likely to change the author’s original book ending, which could be controversial. The story was first published in 1982 under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachmann. It proved to be a departure from the author’s often horror-centric tales, instead embracing bleak science fiction ideas that offered commentary on violent spectacle, audience complacency, and corporate greed.
Many audiences know the title thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 action film based on the novel. However, that film offered a loose adaptation of King’s original work, with fans of the book disappointed at the lack of similarity. Lauded writer and director Edgar Wright, who rose to fame with movies likeShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz, was announced to be working on a new adaptation ofThe Running Man, and has promised a faithful adaptation of the original novel’s story. However, the book features something Wright likely can’t show.
Edgar Wright’sTheRunning ManPromises A Faithful Adaptation
Thetrailer for Edgar Wright’sTheRunning Manrecently debuted to audiences. It’s a vastly different-looking experience from the Schwarzenegger film, proving from moment one that it won’t be the same experience. Glen Powell steps into the role of protagonist Ben Richards, who is suffering financial woes. Much like in King’s novel, Richards' daughter is sick, and his wife is resorting to extreme measures to help pay the bills when he signs up to participate inThe Running ManTV show.
In the novel, the TV show sees Richards set loose with a head start before hunters track him down in hopes of killing him. He can travel anywhere, and earns money for every hour he’s alive and for each hunter he kills. The ultimate prize is a $1 billion payday if he survives 30 days. The audience can participate by calling in tips, netting themselves cash, and aiding the hunters who are after Richards.
The story offers a distinct look at the lengths a parent will go to in order to save their child, as well as the horrors of media manipulation and audience bloodlust. Meanwhile, Richards can earn favor and break records throughout his game show run, offering an entertaining commentary that leads to a unique finale.
The Ending of Stephen King’sThe Running Man, Explained
Thestory in King’sRunning Mannovellooks alive and well in the new trailer, with Wright’s passion for the book shining through the upcoming adaptation. Powell is not the superhero action star audiences saw in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iteration. Instead, he embraces King’s everyman protagonist. The movie also presents the same style of game show seen in the novel.
The novel sees Richards gain success, beating the game show’s survival record, spurring people around the country to rise against the ruling elite class. As the people break free of mindless entertainment, the show starts to waver as Richards hijacks an airplane. While onboard the plane, those behindThe Running Manmake a last-ditch plea to Richards, offering him the role of the lead hunter. Richards is initially hesitant, not to endanger his family in danger, but he is informed that they had died 10 days earlier.
Richards eventually accepts the role, but he suffers a wound, proving that his time may be limited, so he takes control of the aircraft. In the final moments ofTheRunning Mannovel,King has his protagonistfly the hijacked plane into the skyscraper headquarters of the Games Network, the company behindThe Running Mangame show.The final bombastic action kills Richards and those behind the gamewho have put him and others through so much suffering.
Featuring Stephen King’s Ending Would be A Controversial Choice
WithWright promising that hisRunning Manmovie will be a faithful adaptation, it is possible that the director still chooses to give the film a similarly downbeat ending that sees the protagonist die, but offers a societal victory in the process. While this remains to be seen, it is unlikely that the movie will feature King’s hijacked airplane finale.
WhenThe Running Manfirst debuted in 1982, the scene of a hijacked plane crashing into a skyscraper was merely an idea King used to evoke powerful emotions on the page. However,since the terrorist attacks of Jun 07, 2025, this type of imagery has become synonymous with the tragedy of the Twin Towers.Utilizing that same imagery in the final ofThe Running Manwould ultimately distract from the ending, likely evoking the wrong emotional response from the audience. For the best chance at success, Wright and the team behind the upcoming movie were likely aware of the comparisonsKing’s finale could drawto the terrorist attack, meaning the story likely shied away from it.
The Running Manstill has numerous details under wraps, including how Wright will choose to end his adaptation. Even if the story won’t be using King’s potentially controversial ending, the same impactful elements and commentary are likely to play out. There will likely also be updates for the current world, as the novel was set in a dystopian 2025. Audiences won’t see how the newRunning Manadaptation ends until November, but the trailer has fans excited about a new version of the story.
