Edgar Wright, best known for directing Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, has a new film on the horizon: an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Running Man—and reportedly, a more faithful version than the one released in 1987.
Deadline broke the news about the project, where Wright will direct a script that he’ll be co-writing with screenwriter Michael Bacall. Simon Kinberg is set to produce the project.
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The original novel hit stores in 1982, with King writing under the name Richard Bachman. Taking place in the then-distant future of 2025, it’s about a man who lives in a dystopian world where the government runs a horrific game show, in which contestants are enemies of the state and are ruthlessly hunted down and killed. The longer they stay alive and the more people they kill, the more money they’ll get.
Paul Michael Glaser directed adaptation of the novel back in 1987, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger (pictured above) as Ben Richards, a helicopter pilot who is framed for a mass murder in California, and after escaping, is coerced into joining the game. The film is only loosely based on the novel, and was largely panned by critics and audiences at the time. King himself wasn’t a huge fan of the film, and had actually asked that his name be removed from the project before its release.
According to Deadline, the project will be “a top priority pic for Paramount,” and it’s a film that Wright has apparently been wanting to do for a while.
I’m having mixed feelings about this.
To be fair, it would be hard to create a less faithful version.
It would be really interesting to see Wright’s take on The Long Walk too.
I never read the book nor seen the movie as it had a reputation for being bad (as a lot of Schwarzenegger movies are) but this sounds a lot like The Hunger Games, no? A dystopian near future with an oppressive government that uses its citizens for televised sport.
@4- I mean, it’s back to bread and circuses, innit?
@5 – I don’t believe I’ve seen or recall that particular episode but I’ll get there! Lol
I don’t know what people are talking about. The original movie is a hoot. I mean, if you dig bodacious, violent, satirical flicks like RoboCop, Demolition Man, and Starship Troopers, then by all means give it a watch. Admittedly, The Running Man is on the lesser end of that particular subgenre, but it’s still very watchable.
Have to agree with @7, I love this movie. In an over-the-top, campy satirical sense. It’s like a lot of those 80s and early 90s action flicks, it feels confusing as to whether the tongue is planted in cheek or not.
If this announcement has done nothing else, it has pointed out to me that the (original) cinematic RUNNING MAN takes place in 2017-2019; Amazing that they managed to put together such a chillingly accurate documentary of the Trump Administration 30-32 years ago. (-;
On a more serious note, I really enjoyed the Schwarzenegger film, but can safely agree that there’s enough in the original novel to allow some new adaptation to stand on its own two feet – though having said that, THE LONG WALK does strike me as having an even more painfully-sharp hook.