Stephen King Endorsed Edgar Wright’s New Ending For The Running Man — So He Made It For An Audience Of One
Exclusive: Edgar Wright’s The Running Man won’t end like the book — and Stephen King approves.
Edgar Wright is taking another swing at Stephen King, and this time it is not the Arnold Schwarzenegger version. His The Running Man aims closer to King’s book, but still tweaks some big pieces — including the ending.
More book than Arnie, but not a photocopy
Wright told GamesRadar+ that his take is a more faithful read of King’s 1982 novel (published under the Richard Bachman pen name) than the 1987 movie. Even so, he and co-writer Michael Bacall — Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World partner-in-crime — reworked the finale. No spoilers here, just know it is different.
King weighed in — and signed off
This part is a little unusual for a big studio adaptation: at a certain point they had to send the script to Stephen King for approval. He said yes. More than that, he singled out the new ending for praise.
'I think you did a great job with the ending.'
'You’re almost making it for an audience of one.'
Translation: King liked it, which is great — and also terrifying if you are the person about to shoot the thing.
What this version is actually about
If you only know the 1987 film, reset your expectations. King’s story is a grim, near-future dystopia. Ben Richards (played here by Glen Powell) is an out-of-work dad trying to pay for his sick daughter’s care. Desperate, he enters a nightmare reality show called The Running Man, where contestants have 30 days to evade a squad of professional Hunters. Survive the month, win $1 billion. Simple on paper, impossible in practice.
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Co-writer: Michael Bacall (Wright’s collaborator on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
- Source: Stephen King’s 1982 novel, published as Richard Bachman
- Tone: Closer to the book than the 1987 movie, but with a new ending
- Plot basics: Ben Richards (Glen Powell) competes on a lethal reality show, evading elite Hunters for 30 days to win $1 billion
- King’s take: He approved the script and praised the new ending
- Release: November 12 in the UK, November 14 in the US
Bottom line: Wright and Bacall are not just dusting off a cult title; they are reshaping it with the author’s blessing. Bold move. We will see how it plays when it hits theaters in November.