🏃‍♂️ How The Running Man Changes Stephen King's Ending

In partnership with

The reboot of The Running Man is having quite a run, if you’ll excuse the pun. Even before the film came out Arnold Schwarzenegger, who starred as Ben Richards in the 1987 adaptation, was singing its praises according to Glen Powell. Perhaps Edgar Wright’s new take was well timed for success given our modern culture’s preoccupation with screens, deepfakes, and reality television. Plus the 2025 film arguably adheres closer to Stephen King’s original novel… except for maybe that ending (see below).

In our review of The Running Man, we noted that Powell’s portrayal this “better fits King’s depiction of a man mad at the world,” and certainly there are plenty of action sequences designed to back that vision up. In fact, Powell got some sage advice from his Top Gun: Maverick co-star Tom Cruise about how not to die as the lead actor in an action film. With Arnold supposedly “obsessed” over the film and Tom offering action tips, how could anything go wrong?

— Michael Ahr, Newsletter Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

• Our analysis of The Running Man ending (spoilers!) 🤔

• Some insight from Elizabeth Olsen about VisionQuest 🔎︎

• A special giveaway from Penguin Random House 📕

• …and more!