Now on Netflix: This Dystopian Stephen King Classic is More Relevant Than Ever
Stop the doomscrolling, because The Running Man (1987), the bombastic, muscle-bound, oddly prophetic Stephen King adaptation (originally published under his pseudonym Richard Bachman), hit Netflix this month. And it could not have arrived at a stranger, more on-the-nose moment.
If the trailer for Edgar Wright’s upcoming remake (releasing November 7, 2025) has you hyped, revisiting the OG cinematic source material is a non-negotiable. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his most iconic ’80s roles, The Running Man is a campy blast, filled with all the one-liners you could ever want. But underneath the spectacle, the core idea of a media-saturated state gaslighting the public with violent pageantry bites with fresh teeth when viewed through a modern lens.
If your memory of the film stops at Arnie yelling and some questionable outfits, that’s fair, as the movie is, without a doubt, loud, ridiculous, and fun. Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, it envisions a dystopian future where a televised game of death is the most popular show on the planet. In the movie, Schwarzenegger plays Ben Richards, a cop who is framed and forced to participate in the game. While trying to survive the game’s professional “stalkers” (aka, killers), Ben teams up with fellow contestant and rebel activist, Amber (Maria Conchita Alonso), and together they fight back, exposing the corruption at the heart of the program and turning the show against its creators.
So, why is this movie perfect for the moment, you might ask? Well, watching the movie’s neon-drenched violence alongside our current cultural moment is weirdly clarifying. The movie draws a direct line from our cultural obsession with ratings, virality, violence, and magnetic media figures to literal authoritarian control. It presents charismatic hosts who command public opinion and use mass distraction as a governance strategy. It also makes a sport out of dehumanizing people for public amusement. Throw in the fact that Edgar Wright’s new adaptation promises a more faithful, darker take on King’s novel, and you have a perfect pairing of movies that highlight how we have always been halfway to the abyss. In an entertaining way, of course.
A quick note from a dedicated Constant Reader, the book and the movie are sisters, not twins. Perhaps even more like cousins. King’s original is way more grim, and the movie trades some of that bitterness for action, humor, and Arnie’s signature charm. But that’s part of the joy of the film. As overstuffed as this particular time capsule movie may be, it still packs a punch as a cautionary tale.
Bottom line, whether you watch for camp, for the unhinged charisma of Arnie and his opponents, for the social commentary, or because you just want to prep for the remake, The Running Man is a surprisingly timely story worthy of a revisit. The Running Man is currently streaming on Netflix.
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