The Running Man will sprint into cinemas later this month as one of several Stephen King adaptations released this year with some high expectations behind it. However, the story written by King under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman in 1982 was previously adapted into an Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie in 1987, so what does Big Arnie think of the new version of the film? Glen Powell has been happy to share that it all looks good in that department.
Speaking to ScreenRant, Powell discussed his upcoming movie in which he plays Ben Richards, and was happy to confirm that Schwarzenegger believes the movie is “incredible.” He said:
“He was so excited that the Stephen King book we put on screen – it’s really the first time Stephen’s vision has been properly adapted. He just kept saying, ‘It’s incredible.’ He loved it – freaked out, was so excited. But the first thing he told me, he goes, ‘This was a very painful movie for you.’ He’s shot so many action movies, and he knows what it takes to throw yourself around.”
The Running Man seems set to be another impressive addition to a year filled with Stephen King hits, which has already seen The Long Walk and The Life of Chuck gaining a lot of praise from both critics and audiences.
Early Reactions Suggest ‘The Running Man’ Will Be a Hit With Fans
Paramount Pictures
The Running Man has already had one cult classic – if not exactly faithful – adaptation. Schwarzenegger’s movie scored 65% with critics and currently holds a 61% score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film sits among many other movies that hold a special place in the hearts of movie audiences. The film took the main premise of King’s dystopian story and turned it into a loud, brutal Arnie action movie.
Now, Edgar Wright is about to deliver another interpretation of the story, once again taking King’s bare bones and fleshing them out for a modern audience. King’s original story was set in 2019, so the futuristic elements of the terrifying vision of the future have now passed. However, Wright’s version will seemingly have a more grounded feel than Paul Michael Glaser’s original.
Early reactions have been largely positive, including from King himself, who called the movie “Die Hard of our time.” Frequent King collaborator Mick Garris called the new movie a “ferocious reboot,” and Spider-Verse creator Christopher Miller said it has “lots of fun action and insanity.” In addition to this, Joseph Kahn, known for directing many music videos heaped praise on Wright, saying:
“Got to watch RUNNING MAN and this is [Edgar Wright’s] NORTH BY NORTHWEST. If you think you’ve seen what he can do with action with Baby Driver, you’ve got something special coming your way. He’s got all the toys and he is in full Hollywood Hitchcock mode. It’s a total blast.”
The Running Man is released in cinemas on November 14, so expect to see critic reviews start to land in just over a week.
