The Legacy That Wasn’t, Until Maybe Now
Ah, 1987. It was the year of big hair, acid-washed jeans, and a dystopian film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger that most of us would like to forget—Stephen King’s The Running Man. Despite a budget of around $27 million, it could only muster a box office earning of $38 million and walked away with mixed reviews. It’s been a bumpy 36 years since Paul Michael Glaser tried to bring King’s vision to life, but guess what? Things are looking up!
“It was 1987 when Paul Michael Glaser brought King’s story to the screen with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the main star. Unfortunately, it was far from a success. With a budget of around $27 million, it only managed to take $38 million at the box office, in addition to receiving mixed reviews.”
On the Move with Edgar and Simon
Simon Kinberg, one of the producers for the upcoming remake, spilled the tea in a recent interview with SlashFilm. And it’s piping hot!
“We are working on it actively. He’s actively working on the script with Michael Bacall. And our hope would be that it is a movie that, again, all fingers crossed and luck and everything else go our way, that Edgar could maybe direct next year… What’s cool is that Edgar, completely separately, before myself and Paramount started down the journey of figuring out how to get the remake rights, which was complicated, he had tweeted that if there was one movie he would remake ever, it was Running Man.”
The buzz around this remake involves Edgar Wright, a name that every cinephile perks up to hear. According to Kinberg, Wright had already expressed his passion for remaking The Running Man even before any formal plans were put into motion. Talk about serendipity!
A Journey Back to Dystopia
For the younger crowd who might be wondering why all this fuss over a three-decade-old movie—The Running Man is set in a dystopian United States where the population lives under the thumb of a dictatorial regime. Schwarzenegger’s character, a former police officer, ends up in a reality TV death game, ultimately sparking a rebellion.
“The movie is set in the United States in a dystopian future, an alternative version of the year 2017, where the population is governed by a dictatorial regime. Schwarzenegger plays a former police officer who is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and forced to participate in an entertainment program titled The Running Man, where prisoners compete to win their freedom.”
But Wait, There’s More Stephen King for You!
Stephen King isn’t just sitting around, waiting for this remake. There’s a constant queue of adaptations of his work, like Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, The Boogeyman, Welcome to Derry, Salem’s Lot, and much more. From prequels that delve into Pennywise’s past to new films by top-tier talents like Mike Flanagan, the King’s empire of horror and suspense is ever-expanding.
“Mike Flanagan, who has already successfully brought a King story to the screen with Doctor Sleep, is working on an adaptation of The Life Of Chuck, which will feature an incredible cast led by Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay. Flanagan is also developing a new adaptation of The Dark Tower.”
The Final Take
Stephen King’s stories have had a rollercoaster ride in Hollywood. While some adaptations became cinematic gems, others faltered. The Running Man remake is revving up with renewed hope and a dream team of Kinberg and Wright, which makes this one movie to definitely keep on your radar. So, can this remake sprint past the original’s shortcomings? Time will tell, but it’s already got us on the edge of our seats.
