Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, starring Glen Powell, is finally in theaters. The film premiered in North America on November 12 and is projected to gross $23–25 million in its opening weekend. The debate has thus begun, regarding which movie is better: the newest adaptation or the original ‘80s Paul Glaser flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reviews from critics put the two productions almost on par. While the original has a 59% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the new release currently sits at 63%.
There might not be a huge difference in quality between the two films, but the plots, tone, and characterization differ in several ways. For example, the new film isn’t a straight-out action flick. It’s more of a sci-fi thriller with spaced-out action scenes, closer to Stephen King’s novel. Still, both protagonists are very likable, so fans are unlikely to hate either adaptation.
Here are 6 major differences between Glen Powell and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Running Man.
The Protagonist’s Backstory
Schwarzenegger’s character, Ben Richards, is a police captain in a totalitarian society. After refusing orders to open fire on unarmed rioters in Bakersfield, California, he is arrested and framed for the killings committed by his fellow officers. Richards is later recruited by Damon Killian, host of the reality series The Running Man, to boost stagnant ratings. On the other hand, Powell’s Richards is an average Joe who has become a pariah in both the blue-collar and white-collar landscapes. Eager to get money for his ailing daughter’s treatment, he agrees to participate in the run-or-be-killed game.
Richard’s law enforcement backstory in the 1987 adaptation is appropriate, as it provides an easy explanation for why the hero is so good at combat. Many action flicks often rely on ex-operatives, cops, or ex-cops as heroes to add weight to the script’s logic. Such a move prevents audiences from questioning why these people shoot and kill so well. On top of that, audiences in the ‘80s preferred to see Schwarzenegger in a**-kicking mode at all times, so the choice makes sense. His version of Richards is more about fighting than running.
As a thriller, the 2025 adaptation doesn’t require a naturally badass protagonist. It simply needs a man who has been pushed to the limit. In both cases, audiences find themselves empathizing, though the plight of Powell’s character moves us because there is a child involved.
The Setting
In the 1987 version, the hunt takes place in a subterranean 400-block arena that has been specifically built for the contest. It’s located in a sealed-off area of California and designed to look like an apocalyptic city. In the 2025 version, the hunted parties are allowed to go anywhere in the world.
Fixed arenas create a claustrophobic atmosphere that allows anxiety and desperation to bubble, but they also limit the story’s expansion. With fewer variables, there’s only so much the heroes and villains can do. Besides that, keeping the events inside an arena wouldn’t have appealed to audiences in the 2020s, who had already witnessed such a saga in Squid Game.
An open-world setting allows for more unusual character choices, a greater variation in the action set-pieces, and better cinematography. Edgar Wright deprives us of the neon-lit and industrial imagery that Glaser gave us, but it doesn’t feel like a big loss. The decaying, tech-filled, and corporate-controlled environment is present in so many popular apocalyptic movies. Audiences can always find it somewhere if we want to.
The Villains
The villains in the original movie are referred to as “Stalkers.” These are over-the-top, larger-than-life lackeys, each with a special set of skills. Examples include the chainsaw-wielding Buzzsaw and electric-shooting Dynamo. In the remake, the “Hunters” are the typical tight-knit military-like unit. The identities of most of them remain unknown.
The violence in both films is superbly done, except when the filmmakers succumb to a tendency to lyricize it. It’s easier to adore the “Stalkers” because of their eccentricity. Who doesn’t want to see a villain with their own personality and weaponry? It almost feels like playing Mortal Kombat. The “Stalkers,” strong, fierce, and able, also force Richards to be more creative in his survival strategies.
The “hunters’ are nothing but a controlled army, and, at this point, their kind has become monotonous. There are so many movies featuring a hunting team that operates mechanically. Each member moves and kills the same way, making it easier for the hero to craft a defense strategy.
The Love Interest
Schwarzenegger’s character isn’t attached to anyone at the start of the movie, but he eventually ends up with Amber, a composer for the state broadcaster ICS. She first tries to turn him in, believing he is truly responsible for the massacre he has been framed, but later becomes a supportive figure. Powell’s character is fiercely loyal to his wife, even losing it when he is tricked into believing she died.
Each film’s romance arc works beautifully, heightening the mood and allowing sheer dramatic concentration. Schwarzenegger’s version of Richards might be tough, but he doesn’t understand the system as well as Amber does, so he needs help. Powell’s version of Richards also needs a motivational factor, and nothing pushes a man more than the desire to reunite with the woman he loves.
There are few scenes more memorable than when Richards (Powell) is informed that his wife and daughter are dead. He howls and curses in misery, with the camera dancing operatically beside him. After that, the visual rhetoric ends. His inner Schwarzenegger comes out, and we now see him obliterating his enemies. And yet, some people ask, “What’s love got to do with it?”
The Run Time
Better known and beloved by many, the original adaptation of the popular Stephen King novel runs about half an hour less than the new release (101 minutes and 133 minutes, respectively). That’s partly because of the plot structure. In the arena game, contestants are required to survive for three hours. There is no time to think and plan. In the worldwide game, contestants can survive for up to 30 days.
For years, many preferred this tighter, more restrained outing, but opinions might change. A longer running time allows for an increased threat level. Additionally, it creates room for more physical and psychological wounds. Everyone loves to see the protagonist struggling for a long time before rising. It’s fun watching Powell’s character track down the sinister people who are the cause of all the fuss, all while still engaging in a lethal game of cat-and-mouse.
Still, something is appealing about a short and precise film. Paul Glaser was simply adhering to an ‘80s trend where the heroes got the job done as quickly as possible. Popular action flicks from the hero, such as First Blood and Commando, don’t stretch past the 100-minute mark.
The Prize and Contestants
The game is a form of entertainment for citizens and a form of punishment for the unlucky ones in the 1987 movie. Only criminals and outcasts are allowed to participate, kinda like in Death Race. There is no financial reward either. The prize is a full pardon and freedom… or so it seems. In the 2025 movie, anyone can play for a chance to win $1 billion and change their fortunes forever.
The games are nothing but Panem Et Circenses in both movies. The term Panem Et Circenses (bread and circuses) was a term commonly used in Ancient Rome to refer to the ruling class’ practice of appeasing the unsatisfied masses by providing them with temporary food and entertainment.
In each case, we learn that the organizers aren’t genuine. Amber discovers that the winners the public sees on TV are all fake. Those who emerge victorious get killed later on. The “prize” is therefore nothing but a propaganda tool to fool the masses into thinking the government cares.