Summary

The new Running Man adaptation trailer highlights a vastly different film from Arnold Schwarzenegger's.
The Running Man 2025 trailer has a quick Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo.
Edgar Wright's Running Man promises a more faithful adaptation of Stephen King's work.

The upcoming Stephen King adaptation of The Running Man offers a nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the new trailer, and nobody noticed. The new Running Man movie is based on Stephen King's 1982 dystopian sci-fi novel of the same name. It was published under his often-used pen name, Richard Bachmann, which he utilized for stories that often fell outside his horror novels that most readers were familiar with. Edgar Wright, the director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, is behind the new adaptation, with Twisters and Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell playing the lead.

The Running Man was first adapted to the big screen in 1987, and the movie starred action superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 1987 version was loosely inspired by King's novel, featuring the same main character trapped in a game show that pits him in a fight for survival. However, it changed numerous other details, leaning into what worked for Schwarzenegger. The recent trailer release of The Running Man shows that Wright's version will be a more faithful adaptation of King's novel, but it still offers a quick nod to the 1987 film.

running man powell vs schwarzenegger king story

Why Does Edgar Wright’s Running Man Look So Different From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Take On The Stephen King Story?

Edgar Wright’s Running Man sees Glenn Powell playing a dangerous game, but why does it look so different from Arnold Schwarnegger’s adaptation?

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By Timothy McClelland

The Running Man trailer features Glen Powell as Ben Richards, a man down on his luck and struggling to get by, with his daughter gravely ill. Ben then signs up for The Running Man TV game show, which could net him significant financial returns if he can survive against hunters dispatched to kill and an audience who can earn their own rewards by playing along and turning him in. While the film does a great job of setting itself apart from the 1987 adaptation, there is a blink-and-you-miss-it moment toward the beginning of the trailer where viewers can see Arnold Schwarzenneger's visage emblazoned on money that quickly flashes across the screen.

running man 2025 arnold schwarzenegger cameo — Running man 2025 arnold schwarzenegger cameo

Edgar Wright's Running Man Looks To Embrace Stephen King's Source Material Better Than The 1987 Film

Schwarzenegger's Running Man trailer cameo is brief. Still, his prominent placement on money suggests that he is a well-known politician, likely a president, which pokes fun at the actor's time as California Governor. While that is likely the extent of Schwarzenegger's involvement, as he played the same character in his adaptation as Powell does in the new film, it is a nice nod to the actor who helped bring the role to life the first time.

The new adaptation also looks to adhere closer to King's novel, which should appease fans of the author who have loved the book for decades, much like Wright, which spurred him to tackle the project. While some details are likely to change, like the potentially tricky original ending, it is a far different film from Schwarzenegger's. Further information surrounding The Running Man will be forthcoming as its November release date approaches.

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