“Million hunts. One runs. Everyone watches.” That’s the tagline for Edgar Wright’s take on The Running Man, an updated version of the 1982 Stephen King novel that stars Glen Powell taking over for Arnold Schwarzenegger, who took point in the 1987 version brought to life by director Paul Michael Glaser. The trailer for the Paramount release dropped today, and to say that reactions online have been mixed would be an understatement. Gen Z has no clue what’s going on, Millennials are up in arms, and Gen X? We just want a faithful adaptation.
“Is this a Hunger Games ripoff?” asked @TakiVan1 on X after watching The Running Man trailer (seen below). We’re not even sure we want to dignify that with an answer. “Hunger Games walked so The Running Man could sprint,” added @kienobifilms. You hear that? That’s the sound of our palms slapping firmly against our faces. Disgruntled X user @freddienew added:
“Unless Glen Powell has gained 200 pounds, had a charisma transplant from Schwarzenegger, and is going to spend the whole film in a skin-tight yellow jumpsuit, I really am struggling to care.”
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“Replacing an iconic actor with a mediocre one is super risky,” @Autonomous_ZZ wrote, while @NickJLocher advised everyone to “go watch Arnold’s version” because it’s “guaranteed to be much better.” Many others bemoaned the need for a remake, claiming that Hollywood is clearly “out of original ideas.” Yawn. It’s the same argument we’ve been hearing for years. Maybe those people should come up with an original rebuttal.
‘The Running Man’ Trailer Looks Awesome
Despite all the negativity from the peanut gallery, however, there are a number of folks that are definitely hyped about The Running Man hitting theaters later this year, and recognize the need for Wright’s version. @blewis1103 called it the “trailer of the year,” adding that “The Running Man just leapfrogged to the top of my most anticipated list, and I’m 99% sure this is Glen Powell’s Top Gun.” They may have a point there. While everyone else was busy complaining about another remake, @AutismRonin chimed in to give a different perspective that, in many ways, is spot on:
“I feel like The Running Man is a rare case where remaking an 80s sci-fi action film makes sense. The original isn’t exactly beloved or had a long-lasting legacy, so getting a good snappy director and a charismatic lead to do a more realized idea works better than other attempts.”
Finally, someone who isn’t looking at things through rose-colored glasses. Yes, Schwarzenegger’s version of The Running Man is a cult-favorite, but let’s not pretend that it was loved by the masses when it was released in 1987. It barely made back its budget, received mixed reviews from critics, and went on to become one of those films that only die-hard action/Arnie fans really care about. Heck, even today it holds just a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from pundits, and a 61% from fans – and that’s with over 50,000 verified ratings. Don’t even get us started on how much it butchered King’s novel, either.
The bottom line is this: the trailer looks awesome, Powell’s performance seems top-notch, and the film appears to be sticking pretty close to the source material while at the same time including enough action and mayhem to satisfy fans in search of an adrenaline rush from start to finish. And no, it isn’t The Hunger Games. Good grief.
Be sure to check out The Running Man when it hits theaters on November 7, 2025, from Paramount Pictures.
Source: X
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
