Stephen King’s $68.5M Sci-Fi Movie The Running Man Changes Book Ending

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Stephen King is a hugely popular author whose stories have been made into movies and TV shows many times. In fact, Hollywood has often created two different adaptations of the same Stephen King story.

The science fiction film The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was released in 1987, based on the 1982 novel of the same name. While the film wasn’t a close adaptation of the book, Edgar Wright recently revisited the story, releasing his own adaptation in 2025. He has now explained to Empire magazine why he made a significant change from the original novel.

The Running Man Remake Officially Changes the Ending

Stephen King is well-known for writing stories that feel very real, though they often explore dark and unsettling themes. Many of his books don’t end happily, and The Running Man is no exception – it has a particularly tragic conclusion.

This science fiction novel is about a terrifying future where people compete in a deadly game show. Contestants are hunted and killed for entertainment, but the winner receives a large sum of money. The story follows Ben Richards, who surprisingly becomes a popular contestant that viewers begin to support.

In the story, Ben Richards tragically sacrifices himself to stop a hijacking by crashing a plane into the Games Network headquarters, resulting in the deaths of himself, the show’s executive Dan Killian, and, previously, his wife and daughter. While some details were altered, core elements of the original plan remained.

Wright said the initial plan involved the deaths of Sheila and Cathy. However, once actors were cast in those roles, he realized he couldn’t bring himself to film those scenes, finding the storyline too harsh.

The story doesn’t end with Richards’ death, creating a more optimistic tone. As the author explained, “We envisioned him as the catalyst for change from the very beginning.”

The director explained they intentionally avoided the book’s original ending because of its unsettling similarities to the 9/11 attacks. They felt using that ending would be deeply insensitive and the idea was quickly dismissed.

The Running Man Director Hopes the Sci-Fi Will Become a Cult Classic

Despite being a more accurate adaptation of the source material, the new film wasn’t well-received by critics. It currently has a 61% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 302 reviews, though audiences give it a more favorable 77%. Unfortunately, it didn’t attract a large audience during its theatrical run.

Despite a large $110 million budget, the new release only earned $68.5 million at the box office worldwide. However, it has performed very well on Paramount+, consistently ranking in the Top 10 since January 13th and even holding the number one spot for over two months.

Director Edgar Wright recently expressed his hope that his film, The Running Man, will gain a dedicated, long-term fanbase, becoming a cult classic. He noted that this has happened with some of his other films, like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and The World’s End (2013), which became very popular years after they first came out.

Initially, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World wasn’t a box office success, but it’s since gained a dedicated following and become something of a classic for Universal. Similarly, people’s opinions of The World’s End have evolved over time. I’m really proud of both films; they offer a lot to discuss, and their impact extends far beyond their first weekend in theaters.

The Running Man is streaming on Paramount+.

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2026-04-08 00:14