Schwarzenegger Weighs in Running Man Remake
The Running Man is sprinting back onto our screens, with a remake lined up for November of this year—and horror fans are watching with their bloodshot eyes wide open. The original The Running Man (1987), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was a gloriously camp, dystopian action-horror mashup that blended satire, violence, and neon-soaked future nightmares. The big question here is, how does Schwarzenegger feel about the remake to his classic sci-fi outing?
“I think that they have a good chance now with the new Running Man to make it better”
A Quick Bloody Recap
The 1987 film was loosely inspired by Stephen King’s novel (under his Richard Bachman pseudonym). It dropped us into a grim future where convicted criminals are forced to participate in a deadly game show, fighting for their lives in front of a bloodthirsty audience. If that sounds eerily prescient, you’re not alone—people have been drawing parallels to reality TV for decades, just with less chainsaws and flamethrowers. Not to mention the many similar based novels and films that have graced us over the last 40 years, it’s clear this idea of torture for entertianment is something that satisfies a certain dark part of our subconsious, and is rapidly becoming a terrible reality thanks to social media.
Arnold’s Thoughts
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently spoke with CBR and expressed the potential for the film and the star did not dissapoint. Good old Uncle Arnie, spoke about how he wished that his 80’s flick had the tech of today and maybe even a little bit more cash to improve it. See the full qoute below.
“I mean, I love the idea that they’re doing a sequel to Running Man, or a remake. I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I mean, because I always felt when we did, Running Man was one of the movies that it did, that it felt like, I think it would have been great if we would have been better prepared for this movie, if we would have had more money for this movie, and if we would have had then… the visual effects, the technology of visual effects, that they have today, all of those things I wished after the movie came out, I felt like it could have been better.”
“It was great, but it could have been better, and I think that they have a good chance now with the new Running Man to make it better. And I hope, for their sake and for my sake, I hope that they will be successful.”
What’s New for 2025?
The 2025 remake is being helmed by Edgar Wright, known for his flair with genre films like Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Last Night in Soho (2021). Wright promises to stick closer to King’s original book, which is much darker than the ‘80s movie. In King’s book, Ben Richards is an out of work farther, who sick daughter despertly needs medicine. Ben signs up for “The Running Man” which sees him on the run across America as hunters and the general public hunt him down for cash and prizes. It’s a much more intermate and bleaker story which heavily plays upon class wars and isolation, spread across the US.
With a big ol’ thumbs up from Arnie, we can now all sit back and wait until November 7th to see what the film has to offer.
Lallen
Luke “Lallen” Allen, founder and driving force behind Horror Land since 2016, combines his passion for writing with an insatiable love for horror, crafting a unique haven for genre enthusiasts. As head editor and writer, he transforms his lifelong fascination with the macabre into captivating content for fellow horror aficionados.
