Arnold Schwarzenegger, who headlined the 1987 adaptation of The Running Man, believes the upcoming remake from director Edgar Wright has the potential to be a better film. Speaking with CBR to promote the new season of his Netflix show FUBAR, the legendary action star reflected on his experience making The Running Man and shared his hopes for Wright’s interpretation of the Stephen King classic. Schwarzenegger noted that he believes his version of The Running Man could have been better, wishing that the team “would have been better prepared” with access to a larger budget and cutting edge visual effects technology. Though he feels the original Running Man turned out great, the remake could still top it.
“I mean, I love the idea that they’re doing a sequel to Running Man, or a remake,” Schwarzenegger said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I mean, because I always felt when we did, Running Man was one of the movies that it did, that it felt like, I think it would have been great if we would have been better prepared for this movie, if we would have had more money for this movie, and if we would have had then … the visual effects, the technology of visual effects, that they have today, all of those things I wished after the movie came out, I felt like it could have been better. It was great, but it could have been better, and 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.”
Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, the original Running Man didn’t make the biggest impact when it released. Earning mixed reviews, it grossed just $38.1 million domestically, a far cry from other Schwarzenegger vehicles of that era. While some people acknowledge in retrospect The Running Man‘s themes and subject matter were eerily prescient, the film has been criticized for its handling of the source material.
Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man is set to hit theaters this November, starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards. Powell previously shared how Schwarzenegger gave him his blessing before making the film. Wright wrapped principal photography on the Running Man remake back in March. At that time, he promised fans would get a look at what he has in store “soon.”
From a technical perspective, the 2025 version of The Running Man could definitely be an improvement compared to its predecessor. Wright is one of the most gifted directors of his generation and has demonstrated a sharp sense of filmmaking style on all of his projects. As illustrated by Baby Driver and other films, he has a tremendous knack for staging compelling action sequences. His sensibilities combined with state-of-the-art special effects means his Running Man should be a visually stunning film that fully immerses viewers in its setting. Michael Cera, who reunites with Wright on The Running Man after working with the director on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has said Running Man is “a breathless movie” that “just keeps going,” implying it will be full of fast-paced set pieces.
Wright’s Running Man could also best the 1987 film in terms of storytelling as well. When detailing how the new version is different from the original, Powell hinted that Wright is adhering closer to King’s novel, which he called “much more grounded” than the Schwarzenegger flick. So, tonally, it sounds like Wright’s movie is going to be darker and tap into the seriousness and horror of the situation rather than embrace ’80s camp. Of course, with Wright at the helm, there will probably be some levity in The Running Man — even if it’s more dark comedy. One of the critiques of the original movie is that it deviates too much from the book by watering down the story’s themes and skimping on character development. A more faithful adaptation of the original text could provide audiences with a much more engaging and captivating dystopian sci-fi narrative. Hopefully, Wright delivers another special film.
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