‘The Running Man’ trailer brings Stephen King’s novel to life including Glen Powell in his underwear
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on Ben Richards in the 1987 film The Running Man took the idea of what Stephen King’s novel was about and did absolutely nothing with it. Now, Edgar Wright’s take starring Glen Powell promises to be a more faithful adaptation.
Powell is joined by Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Jayme Lawson, and more to tell the story of Ben Richards, a man who is trying to get money for his daughter, Cathy, to get medicine. He does so by joining the show “The Running Man”, where he has to run for his life while hunters chase after him. The longer he stays alive, the more money he makes. It takes him all over the United States but is also a terrifying run filled with explosions, twists, and a lot of Ben Richards’ idea of a “joke.”
The new trailer has Ben Richards taunting the American public as he runs for his life and is a perfect look into Wright’s take on the story. And look, there are nods to the Schwarzenegger film in this trailer. But I love that watching it does feel like reliving some of my favorite moments from the novel.
This is all just exciting, especially if you read the novel. To be fair, I saw the trailer at Cinemacon and when I saw Ben in his underwear, I did gasp and say “oh this is just like the book.” And that’s what makes this such a fun adventure: We might be getting an adaptation that at least tries to be like King’s novel.
Ben Richards deserves it!
Stephen King adaptations are a dime a dozen. Literally, there is almost always a new one coming out each year. But what makes The Running Man an exciting time is that we are seeing this story, really, for the first time. Sorry, the 1987 is nothing like the book that King wrote under his pseudonym. In fact, there are barely any similarities.
Having read the novel and then rewatched the Schwarzenegger film, it was clear that everyone behind that movie either never read the book or didn’t care about King’s work. None of it was the same. The only thing that connected the two was that his name was Ben Richards and that it was a game show. But Wright’s film has the chance to bring the novel to life in a more faithful way.
There are things that I hope that Wright and company change but for the most part, that novel is a beautiful commentary on wealth, power, and those who get left behind. And I hope that this take on the story at least leans more into what King was trying to do with his novel.
The Running Man hits theaters on November 7 and we cannot wait!
(featured image: Paramount Pictures)
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