Summary

  • The 1987 film adaptation of The Running Man is available to watch on Tubi for free.
  • The upcoming 2025 adaptation by Edgar Wright appears to remain faithful to King's original work.
  • The Long Walk, another King story, will hit theaters on September 12, delving into a grim, futuristic game.

It's a good time to be a Stephen King fan. Some of his most acclaimed works are being adapted for the big and small screens, and the wait for them isn't all that long. One of those is Edgar Wright's The Running Man, which is set to hit theaters on November 5. The movie stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, a man who signs up for a deadly, futuristic game show to win money for his family.

This is not the first time The Running Man has been brought to the screen. The first time audiences got a glimpse of Stephen King's prophetic take on reality TV was back in 1987. That version starred Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of Ben Richards, but other than a deadly game show, this version shared very little in common with King's original work. However, it's still a fun piece of action cinema, and right now, it's free to watch.

Glen Powell as Ben Richards in The Running Man
'Hunt Him Down!' The Running Man Trailer Promises A Frenetic, Wild Version of Stephen King's Famous Novel

Stephen King fans won't want to miss The Running Man trailer, which teases the action-packed ride that Glen Powell's character goes on.

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The Running Man Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is Free to Watch on Tubi.

Right now, 1987's The Running Man can be watched on Tubi for free. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in checking out the original before watching Edgar Wright's take on the story. If the recently released trailer for 2025's The Running Man is any indication, it seems like Wright is taking a more grounded approach to the story's visuals. At the same time, he appears to be keeping the tone, pacing, and action just as explosive and outrageous. It also remains to be seen if Wright keeps King's original ending intact, considering that the 80s adaptation changed it to something less bleak, and perhaps less impactful.

The 80s version of The Running Man is notable not just for its vibrant and memorable takes on future society (in the far-off year of 2017, no less), but also for casting an actual game show host in the role of the villainous Damon Killian. Richard Dawson, who does a great job pushing the envelope on playing the bad guy, was the actual host of Family Feud from 1976 to 1985 and again briefly from 1994 to 1995. In Wright's version, Killian is played by Josh Brolin, but he does not serve as the host of the show. That role is instead played by Colman Domingo (who did great villainous work as Norman Osborn in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man). The Running Man also reunites Arnold Schwarzenegger with Jesse Ventura. The two co-starred as fellow soldiers in Predator just a few months prior to The Running Man's release.

Another Stephen King story similar to The Running Man is also hitting theaters this year. The Long Walk, which was also written under King's pseudonym Richard Bachman, is coming to theaters on September 12. That story also involves a futuristic game of life and death, though one that is far less flashy. A group of young men are forced to walk until only one is left, and anyone who stops walking or slows down too much for any reason is shot and killed. Stephen King famously did not want either story published under his real name, and maybe it's because both are pretty bleak views of the future. Regardless, 1987's The Running Man is still a pretty fun watch, and the price is right.

The Running Man is now free to stream on Tubi.

  • Rating block community and brand ratings Image
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    The Running Man
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    R
    Action
    Science Fiction
    Thriller
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    Release Date
    November 13, 1987
    Runtime
    101 minutes
    Director
    Paul Michael Glaser
    Writers
    Steven E. De Souza
    Producers
    George Linder
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    Cast

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    • instar52751313.jpg
      Arnold Schwarzenegger
      Ben Richards
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      Richard Dawson
      Damon Killian
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      María Conchita Alonso
      Amber Mendez
    • Cast Placeholder Image
      Yaphet Kotto
      William Laughlin
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  • Rating block community and brand ratings Image
    the-running-man-remake-early-teaser-poster.jpg
    The Running Man
    Display card tags widget
    Science Fiction
    Thriller
    Action
    Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget
    Release Date
    November 14, 2025
    Director
    Edgar Wright
    Writers
    Edgar Wright, Michael Bacall, Stephen King
    Producers
    George Linder, Nira Park, Simon Kinberg
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    Cast

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    • instar53556620.jpg
      Glen Powell
      Ben Richards
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      Josh Brolin
      Dan Killian
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      Jayme Lawson
      Sheila Richards
    • instar50093723.jpg
      Lee Pace
      Evan McCone
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