Stephen King has been inspiring stories on the screen for more than five decades, reaching a point in his career where his previously adapted works are getting the remake treatment. The trend began with Carrie, King’s 1974 debut novel that was first brought to the screen in Brian De Palma’s acclaimed 1976 movie before the story was remade in 2002, and it’s continuing in 2026 and beyond. A Carrie TV series remake is in the works at Prime Video, with upcoming adaptations of The Mist, Cujo, and The Dark Tower also on the schedule. Before any of those premieres, Prime Video subscribers can now stream a 2025 sci-fi action remake of an ‘80s King cult classic.
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King’s 1982 dystopian thriller The Running Man has now been adapted for the screen twice. Following Paul Michael Glaser’s dystopian action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987, Edgar Wright remade the movie for a 2025 film starring Glen Powell in the lead role as Ben Richard. The more modern remake started streaming on Prime Video on April 17th. It centers around a desperate man in a poverty-stricken, media-controlled future who competes in a deadly, state-sanctioned television show to pay for his sick daughter’s medicine. In order to survive and win the cash prize, he must evade professional hunters for 30 days.
The Running Man Is a Solid Remake of Stephen King’s 1987 Cult Classic
It’s hard to compete with a decades-old movie that carries a cult classic status, but Wright’s The Running Man remake did a pretty solid job of it. Although the movie was a box office flop when it grossed just $69 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, it managed to surpass the original in terms of critical and audience consensus. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie scored a 61% critic score and a 77% audience rating compared to the original’s 59% and 61% ratings. It also became a major streaming hit after it jumped to the top of the Paramount+ charts following its streaming debut in January.
While both film versions are worth watching, The Running Man remake is a closer, darker adaptation of King’s book. While the 1987 filmcentered itself as a loose, campy arena-based, cheesy battle flick, the 2025 film returns to the book’s premise of a global chase and a man motivated by love for his family and a desire to expose the corrupt network. The movie dives into the deeper social commentary of King’s novel and also features pretty great world-building and a fast pace that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Powell also delivers a more desperate and earnest performance that fits the book’s character.
What’s New on Prime Video?
The Running Man ran onto Prime Video on the heels of dozens of other arrivals this April. Prime Video subscribers can now also stream movies, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, House of Gucci, Mercury Rising, The Terminator, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
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Image Courtesy of Netflix -
Image courtesy of Netflix
