One of the most eagerly awaited fall releases is The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright and based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel. Much like this year’s other major Stephen King adaptation, The Long Walk, The Running Man unfolds in a dystopian future where survival itself becomes a deadly game.
The story follows Ben Richards (played by Glen Powell), a desperate father who enters a high-stakes reality TV contest to win $1 billion and save his sick daughter.
However, the competition is far from ordinary, the prize comes with a lethal cost. To claim the money, Richards must survive for 30 days while being hunted by people around the world.
Avoiding capture when every screen is broadcasting your face? Easier said than done. As Richards fights to stay alive, The Running Man will also put Glen Powell’s star power to the ultimate test.
This isn’t the first time The Running Man has been brought to the big screen. The novel was previously adapted in 1987, with Arnold Schwarzenegger portraying Richards under the direction of Paul Michael Glaser. Still, Wright is quick to distance his version from the term “remake.”
Speaking with Empire magazine, Wright explained, “I felt that nobody needs, or wants, a straight remake of the 1987 film, but the source material had not been wholly adapted.”
The original movie, known for transforming King’s satirical narrative into a more straightforward Arnold-style action film, strayed significantly from the book, much to King’s dissatisfaction.
Wright aims to restore the author’s intended story, and his screenplay, co-written with Michael Bacall, has reportedly earned King’s personal approval.
It may sound like splitting hairs to emphasize that Wright’s The Running Man isn’t a remake, but the distinction matters. When adapting a story that’s already been adapted, is it truly a remake, or a fresh interpretation?
A good way to determine whether something is a remake or a new adaptation is to examine what’s being adapted. Take, for instance, the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Many call it a remake of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist series, but the original anime diverged from Hiromu Arakawa’s unfinished manga. Brotherhood was created later as a more faithful adaptation — just as Wright’s The Running Man intends to be.
Another upcoming example is Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Should it be considered a remake of James Whale’s 1931 classic when it seeks to stay true to Mary Shelley’s original novel?
Yet, del Toro’s trailer still includes the iconic lightning-powered resurrection, a visual element popularized by Whale’s version. Over time, film adaptations of literary classics can become so iconic that they redefine public perception, as happened with Frankenstein.
Similarly, consider another Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi hit: 1990’s Total Recall, adapted from Philip K. Dick’s short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.
The 2012 Total Recall starring Colin Farrell made major changes, such as eliminating the Mars setting, but it still borrowed much of its structure and character framework from the 1990 film. So does that make it a remake or simply another adaptation of Dick’s work?
The distinction between remakes and adaptations is often subjective and fluid. In the end, it depends on interpretation. For Wright, however, it’s clear, his The Running Man should not be seen as a remake of Schwarzenegger’s version, but as a brand-new adaptation that brings King’s original vision to life.
The Running Man is slated for a theatrical release on November 14, 2025.