Summary
It’s a good time to be a Stephen King fan. Some of his most acclaimed works are being adapted for the big and small screens, and the wait for them isn’t all that long. One of those is Edgar Wright’sThe Running Man, which is set to hit theaters on November 5. The movie stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, a man who signs up for a deadly, futuristic game show to win money for his family.
This is not the first timeThe Running Manhas been brought to the screen. The first time audiences got a glimpse of Stephen King’s prophetic take on reality TV was back in 1987. That version starred Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of Ben Richards, but other than a deadly game show, this version shared very little in common with King’s original work. However, it’s still a fun piece of action cinema, and right now, it’s free to watch.
The Running Man Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is Free to Watch on Tubi.
Right now, 1987’sThe Running Mancan be watched on Tubi for free. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in checking out the original before watching Edgar Wright’s take on the story. If the recently released trailer for 2025’sThe Running Manis any indication, it seems like Wright is taking a more grounded approach to the story’s visuals. At the same time, he appears to be keeping the tone, pacing, and action just as explosive and outrageous. It also remains to be seen ifWright keeps King’s original ending intact, considering that the 80s adaptation changed it to something less bleak, and perhaps less impactful.
The 80s version ofThe Running Manis notable not just for its vibrant and memorable takes on future society (in the far-off year of 2017, no less), but also for casting an actual game show host in the role of the villainous Damon Killian. Richard Dawson, who does a great job pushing the envelope on playing the bad guy, was the actual host ofFamily Feudfrom 1976 to 1985 and again briefly from 1994 to 1995. In Wright’s version, Killian is played by Josh Brolin, but he does not serve as the host of the show. That role is instead played by Colman Domingo (who did great villainous work asNorman Osborn inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man).The Running Manalso reunites Arnold Schwarzenegger with Jesse Ventura. The two co-starred as fellow soldiers inPredatorjust a few months prior toThe Running Man’s release.
Another Stephen King story similar toThe Running Manis also hitting theaters this year.The Long Walk, which was also written under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, is coming to theaters on September 12. That story also involves a futuristic game of life and death, though one that is far less flashy. A group of young men are forced to walk until only one is left, and anyone who stops walking or slows down too much for any reason is shot and killed. Stephen King famously did not want either story published under his real name, and maybe it’s becauseboth are pretty bleak views of the future. Regardless, 1987’sThe Running Manis still a pretty fun watch, and the price is right.
