Running Man 2025: Does Edgar Wright's Remake Live Up to Arnold's Classic?

The Ultimate Dystopian Throwdown: Running Man 2025

In a year that feels increasingly like a dystopian novel, Edgar Wright and Glen Powell have delivered a high-octane reboot of the 1987 classic The Running Man. As the 2025 adaptation hits theaters, fans are buzzing: Can this new iteration capture the chaotic, satirical spirit of Arnold Schwarzenegger's cult favorite—or does it stumble under the weight of nostalgia?

From Arnold to Glen: A New Era of Ben Richards

Glen Powell steps into the shoes of Ben Richards, a man forced to compete in a deadly televised game show where hunters stalk contestants for a billion-dollar prize. While Schwarzenegger's 1987 portrayal defined the role as an action-packed anti-hero, Powell brings a modern charm to the character. As Business Insider notes, Powell's "rare marquee actor who's incredibly hot while also being effortlessly charming" makes him a compelling successor—even if his Richards is written as a more vulnerable family man than Arnold's version.

Wright's script stays closer to Stephen King's original novel than the 1987 film, focusing on Richards' desperate need to save his sick daughter. This shift, as SFGATE critiques, makes the hero feel less distinctive. "Powell works wonders with the script," writes columnist Drew Magary, "but this Ben Richards, as written, is a much weaker character than his 1987 counterpart."

Wright's Vision: Bigger, But Not Always Better

Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver) approached this project with reverence. His 2017 tweet declaring The Running Man as his dream remake set the stage for a passion project. Wright expands the original's confined game zone into a nationwide, 30-day hunt, complete with stylized point tallies and first-person shooter perspectives. "The film is set in 2025," Wright told Business Insider, "so releasing it in 2025 felt wild."

Yet critics argue Wright's faithfulness to King's novel undermines the film's pacing. The 1987 version condensed the hunt to three hours with flamboyant "stalkers" like Buzzsaw and Dynamo, creating a more telegenic spectacle. Wright's remake, by contrast, features generic hunters and a runtime that drags at 133 minutes. As SFGATE puts it: "The results never scan as particularly telegenic. I never bought that people in our future hellscape would actually watch it."

Themes Reimagined: Satire in 2025

Both films dissect media manipulation and state-controlled entertainment, but the 2025 version leans harder into real-world parallels. The dystopian America feels alarmingly familiar, with a network-run dictatorship exploiting violence for ratings. Lee Pace shines as the hunter McCone, though the film misses the 1987's nuanced villainy of Richard Dawson's game-show host. Instead, Wright doubles down on the network's corrupt executives, with Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo portraying ruthless profiteers.

Wright's direction is undeniably stylish, blending kinetic action with his signature humor. Powell's comedic timing elevates weaker scenes, especially his word-association takedown of a network psychologist. "When does anarchy happen?" he deadpans. "Never. When does justice happen?" "(Snorts) No."

The Verdict: A Flawed but Fun Ride

So, is The Running Man (2025) worth watching? For fans of Wright's inventive style or Powell's charisma, absolutely. It's a visually slick, action-packed ride that honors the original's spirit while carving its own path. However, purists may miss Arnold's swagger and the 1987 film's tighter, more satirical bite. As SFGATE concludes: "Wright’s slavishly faithful remake has a lot of other problems," but Powell's "talking shit to everyone" saves it from mediocrity.

In the end, both films reflect their eras: the 1987 version as a campy, Cold War-era allegory, and the 2025 reboot as a commentary on our own reality TV-obsessed, algorithm-driven world. Whether you're Team Arnold or Team Glen, one thing's certain: the games have only gotten deadlier.

"We wouldn't have gotten through this movie without somebody like Glen," Wright told Business Insider. "Big success has come to Glen a little later. I think he's really grateful, and it's a really beautiful thing to see an actor who is number one on the call sheet also be the hardest working person on the set."