The original film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man is a 1980s cult classic Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle, but it also isn’t the most faithful interpretation of its source material. While all on-screen adaptations make changes to better fit the story to its medium, the ’80s Running Man was a significant departure from King’s original vision, transforming a dark tale into your typical prime Schwarzenegger action romp. One of the main selling points for director Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man is that it sticks closer to the novel, blending King’s dystopian narrative with Wright’s penchant for thrilling action. A week before the film’s premiere, early reactions are in, and it looks like The Running Man is a rousing success.
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On X, many who have seen The Running Man have shared their takes, praising not just Wright’s stellar work behind the camera, but also star Glen Powell’s affecting performance that grounds the film. User @filmsbyJuan went so far as to say The Running Man is “a real step up from any other King adaptation this year,” which is an impressive endorsement considering how great 2025 has been for King adaptations. Check out more reactions in the space below:
The Running Man Could Be The Year’s Best Stephen King Adaptation
As some of the reactions allude to, this was already a strong year for Stephen King adaptations. Between films like The Monkey, The Life of Chuck, and The Long Walk, plus TV series IT: Welcome to Derry, King fans have had a lot to enjoy in 2025. But it seems like the best was saved for last. While we still have to wait for full, written reviews, The Running Man is earning raves so far, with many feeling it’s an adaptation tailor-made for the big screen. Based on the comments, it appears to be the next step in Wright’s evolution as a filmmaker, with the director delivering several exciting set pieces. It’s also great to hear Powell is a standout as protagonist Ben Richards; his performance will make it easy for audiences to become invested in the story.
It isn’t a shock that Wright helmed what could arguably be the year’s greatest King adaptation. He’s been honing his craft for over two decades, injecting his projects with a distinct sense of style and energy. Dating back to his work on the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, he’s always had a keen eye for action. Baby Driver seemed to be the apotheosis of that, but Wright might have leveled up even further on The Running Man. The movie’s trailers have teased at some stand out set pieces, and it’ll be great to see them play out on the big screen.
After a rough October at the box office, many theater owners will be hoping The Running Man can help turn business around in November. Though Wright is an acclaimed director with a passionate fan base, he’s never been a major box office draw. Only one film of his has crossed $100 million at the worldwide box office. That film was Baby Driver ($226.9 million), which could bode well for The Running Man‘s prospects. Audiences have shown they’ll come out to see an inventive action film from Wright — especially when word of mouth is strong. If these reactions are a harbinger of a strong Rotten Tomatoes score, The Running Man could be in good shape for its opening weekend.
Remakes are always a tricky proposition because the shadow of the original looms large over the production. There’s an added pressure to get things “right,” justifying why the film was made in the first place. If Schwarzenegger’s glowing review of the new Running Man wasn’t enough to convince fans Wright did an excellent job (he said it was “the first time [Stephen King’s] vision has been properly adapted”), these reactions should quell any doubts. The Running Man looks like it could be one of the best films of the fall in addition to being the best King adaptation of 2025.
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Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films -
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm
