Summary
Why does Edgar Wright and Glenn Powell’s take onStephen King’sThe Running Manlook so different from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 adaptation? The trailer for Wright’sRunning Manhas finally debuted, allowing fans to see Powell in the Ben Richards role. It brings King’s dystopian story to life, but the new film looks vastly different from the first adaptation.
Schwarzenegger’s 1987The Running Mansaw the action star play Ben Richards, a character who similarly plays a game where his life hangs in the balance. However, despite its distinct 1980s flair, Schwarzenegger’s iteration looks vastly different from a story standpoint than what Wright and Powell look set to deliver. It gives Richards a different backstory and presents a version of the game with vastly different stakes.
Stephen King’sThe Running ManWasn’t His Usual Horror Tale
The Running Manis a sci-fi thrillerthatKing first published underhis pseudonym Richard Bachmann in 1982. Rather than telling a horror story like most fans would expect, it wasa dystopian thriller set in 2025 that told the story of Ben Richards, a man in desperate need of money, as his wife has resorted to prostitution and his daughter is gravely ill. With little choice, he signs up to take part in a TV show calledThe Running Man, which sees him set loose with a head start before hunters working for the network are dispatched to kill him. Richards can earn money for each hour he’s alive and by killing the hunters after him, with the real prize being $1 billion if he can make it 30 days.
The Running Manalso featured a unique audience aspect. It was a true game show, and those watching could earn money for calling in tips, like where Richards may be hiding. Richards goes on to beat the game’s survival record, even seeing the show’s host offer him a job when the audience is impressed by his antics. WhileKing’s story was abouta future society, it featured horrors in the dystopian elements the characters find themselves living in, with terror coming from the audience’s bloodlust and corporate greed.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’sRunning ManMovie Was A Loose Adaptation Of King’s Story
The 1987 adaptation ofThe Running Manfeatured Arnold Schwarzenegger asBen Richards. However, many details were changed, including the year, with the film taking place in 2017. The movie still sees the United States fall into a totalitarian state, where Richards is arrested for refusing to fire on a crowd of innocent people. The incident is manipulated, with a fake video provided to the media, seeing him chastized by the public and forced to participate inThe Running ManTV game show. The game sees him and others put into a horrific game scenario where they fight for their lives against “Stalkers” in the hope of winning their freedom.
Schwarzenegger’s take on the filmwas adapted to suit the action star’s growing notoriety. It plays up the violence and eliminates the family aspect in King’s novel. Audience participation is still in play, but the game is also in a confined arena rather than being able to travel anywhere in the world. It even features a few notable one-liners, like him using a saw to cut through someone, only to later say they “had to split.” While the story was inspired by King’s novel, keeping many of the same aspects, it changed several notable elements, making it a unique take on the story.
Glenn Powell and Edgar Wright Are Giving Fans A More Direct Adaptation OfThe Running Man
Fans of Schwarzenegger’s take onThe Running Manmay have been taken aback by the perceived changes in the newly released trailer.It features the same protagonist, but the story sees him willingly joining the game, with Powell’s take on Richards being a family man. Furthermore, while there is still a game show, many restrictions felt by Schwarzenegger’s arena game world are gone. Wright’sRunning Manstill looks to embrace the horrors of corporate greed and corruption, but his Ben Richards is not the action movie tank that Schwarzenegger fans may be expecting.
Wright’sRunning Manadaptation resembles King’s novel more than the 1987 film.While it may not lookmuch like Schwarzenegger’s movie, it does share quite a bit with the book that inspired it, making the film a more faithful adaptation of the author’s story. This is something the director has been promising since news of his adaptation was announced, and now that audiences are getting their eyes on the trailer, it looks as though he has been true to his word.
While many aspects ofThe Running Manare still under wraps, fans of King’s novel may know what to expect. However, Wright will likely change some aspects, as the novel’s ending features an act that may not translate well into today’s world. The new film will also potentially critique the current state of media and audience participation, proving it is the right time for a new adaptation ofThe Running Man. Audiences will likely get more details before its release, but Wright and Powell have given audiences an exciting Stephen King adaptation to watch.
