Critics Are Raving: Edgar Wright’s The Running Man Finally Delivers the Stephen King Adaptation Fans Have Been Waiting For

Edgar Wright took a swing at Stephen King’s The Running Man, and the first reactions are in. Short version: it sounds like Wright didn’t remake the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie so much as he made the book his own. High-energy, more faithful to King, big crowd-pleaser vibes — with a couple of caveats about the runtime and character load.

Early buzz in a nutshell

• JoBlo’s Jimmy O says Glen Powell keeps proving he’s the real deal and that Wright’s take is a very different beast than Arnold’s. It plays, but he felt the movie runs a touch long and juggles a few too many characters — still a clear crowd-pleaser at his screening.
• Collider’s Perri Nemiroff wanted a version closer to King’s novel and says Wright and company finally deliver that — while still feeling unmistakably like an Edgar Wright movie. She praises the control of tone and style: big, bombastic fun that still stays grounded enough to stick with you. She also points out this has been a wild year for King adaptations between The Life of Chuck, The Long Walk, It: Welcome to Derry, and now this.
• Rachel Leishman calls it action-packed, unexpectedly emotional, and a full-on star showcase for Powell. In her words:

"It just fucking rules, man!!!"

FilmLand Empire is all-in too, calling it an old-school blockbuster that’s fast, punchy, and character-driven, with a chaotic charge that nods to Wright’s Scott Pilgrim days. Their takeaway on Powell: he lights up the screen — funny, fierce, and very much a capital-M Movie Star.

Andrew Korpan goes a step further and says Wright actually improves on King’s book — trimming the weaker bits, taking some big swings, and giving Ben Richards more humanity. His bottom line: total blast, see it in theaters.

How this one differs from the 1987 movie

If you were expecting a glossy redo of the Schwarzenegger version, that’s not what Wright made. Across the board, early viewers say this leans much closer to King’s novel in tone and story, while still carrying Wright’s signature snap — the kinetic pacing, stylized flair, and needle-sharp timing. The tradeoff, per a few reactions: it’s stuffed with characters and runs a little long. But the consensus says the energy and crowd-pleasing factor more than carry it.

The setup (no spoilers)

Near-future dystopia, America’s biggest TV show is The Running Man — a lethal game where contestants, known as Runners, try to survive 30 days while professional killers hunt them on live TV. Every move is broadcast to a bloodthirsty audience, and the payout rises each day you stay alive.

Enter Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a working-class dad pushed into the show as a last-ditch way to help his sick daughter. The show’s slick but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), convinces him to sign on. Problem is, Ben refuses to play the way the system expects. His instincts and stubborn streak turn him into a fan favorite — and a threat. As ratings rocket, so does the danger, and surviving means outsmarting the Hunters and a country hooked on watching him lose.

Release date

The Running Man hits theaters on November 14.