Arnold Schwarzenegger Thinks THE RUNNING MAN Remake Could Actually Be Better Than His 1987 Film
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the first to admit his The Running Man adaptation had room for improvement. While promoting FUBAR Season 2 in a new interview with Grae Drake for CBR Presents: DRAW!, the action legend opened up about the 1987 cult sci-fi film and his honest take on the upcoming Edgar Wright remake.
Schwarzenegger said of the original film:
“It was great, but it could have been better. I think it would have been great if we would have been better prepared for this movie, if we would have had more money… the visual effects, the technology of visual effects, that they have today, all of those things I wished after the movie came out.”
As for the remake, Schwarzenegger seems genuinely hopeful it will take the concept to the next level.
“I love the idea that they’re doing a sequel to Running Man, or a remake. I don’t know what it’s going to be…I think that they have a good chance now with the new Running Man to make it better. And I hope, for their sake and for my sake, I hope that they will be successful.”
The original film, directed by Paul Michael Glaser and based loosely on the Stephen King novel written under the Richard Bachman pseudonym, followed Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger), a wrongly convicted man forced to survive a deadly game show for entertainment. The cast included Maria Conchita Alonso, Jesse Ventura, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Dawson in a truly unhinged performance as the game’s host.
Now, Edgar Wright is stepping into the arena, bringing his signature style to the remake. Co-written with Michael Bacall, the film stars Glen Powell as Richards, joined by a wild ensemble including Katy O’Brian, Michael Cera, Lee Pace, Josh Brolin, William H. Macy, and Colman Domingo.
With today’s tech, a bigger budget, and Wright behind the camera, the world The Running Man with its dystopian media, violent spectacle, corporate control feels even more relevant now. The idea that this remake could tap into that with more bite is pretty exciting.
The Running Man remake is set to hit theaters on November 7, 2025.