The Running Man (Edgar Wright, 2025, UK/USA)

The Running Man is the last Stephen King adaptation of 2025. Interestingly, two of King’s early dystopian novels written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman were adapated this year, with The Long Walk arriving before Running Man. Unlike The Long Walk, The Running Man was adapted previously in the late 1980s, with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the starring role, no less. Though seen as a lesser Schwarzenegger film at the time, the original Running Man has become a beloved cult classic over the years. Given that it strays considerably from King’s source material, it makes sense that Edgar Wright has re-adapted King’s novel, which was actually meant to be set in 2025.

Perhaps because King’s novel was so prescient, this adaptation may hit somewhat less hard in 2025 than it would have in the 1980s. The novel’s central premise - that the world of the future will see politics, entertainment, and technology consolidated into one overarching panopticon of security and control - is essentially the normal state of affairs in the US in 2026. The film does not engage too seriously with these questions, and Wright instead aims to deliver a 90s-action style popcorn film. This is a fine choice. The film’s limitations are not necessarily due to Wright - it is simply hard to make a satire when the targets of the satire are uncomfortably close to reality.

With a strong cast featuring Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, and Michael Cera, among others, The Running Man is reasonably propulsive. Glen Powell’s character is passable, though his motivation for joining the deadly game show feel a bit shallow and could have used more exposition. This film feels less “Edgar Wright-y” overall, though the director’s fingerprints are still on it. The ending (changed from the original novel) leaves something to be desired and is somewhat disappointing.

6/10