Edgar Wright’s The Running Man may not have set the box office on fire (or impressed fans as much as expected), but the film has another chance to find its audience when it makes its streaming debut. The Running Man will be available to stream on Paramount+ on January 13.
Why Did The Running Man Fail (Again)?
An Edgar Wright movie is always a fun time, and anticipation for The Running Man was high. Unlike the 1987 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wright’s version aimed to be a more faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. The film’s initial reactions were positive, but it debuted to mixed reviews and a disappointing box office, ultimately grossing just $68.6 million against a budget of $110 million.
Our own Chris Bumbray had mixed feelings about the film. Although he was impressed by the sheer craft and spectacle on display, the film ultimately fell short in many ways, including the ending. “Where many may find The Running Man comes up short is in the final act, which feels truncated as it rushes toward the ending,” he wrote. “The finale itself feels anticlimactic—sped through, as if added in post-production.” You can read the rest of his review right here.
Screenwriter Steven E. de Souza, who penned the ’87 version, added that just like his take, the new adaptation flunked the landing. “I read it and [felt that] on paper, they got the ending working,” de Souza said. “Even the reviews that love it say it stumbles at the end. It seems to me that this time around, something went wrong between the page and the stage again.“
He continued, “The book’s ending is a downer, so you need a new ending. I would say that both the ’87 version and this version tweak the ending in pretty much the same way, except that in our version, we had less money, so it’s a little simpler. Maybe the third version in 2045 will stick the landing.“
The Running Man Synopsis
“In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward,” reads the synopsis. “Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.“
Will you be watching The Running Man when it makes its streaming debut?
