New Stephen King Movie Continues 21-Year Rotten Tomatoes Trend (but There’s One Problem)

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2025 has seen a lot of Stephen King stories adapted for the screen. Fans have already enjoyed film versions of The Monkey, The Life of Chuck, and The Long Walk, plus the TV series IT: Welcome to Derry. And there’s one more coming this year: Edgar Wright’s take on The Running Man, which was previously a movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1980s. Both King and Schwarzenegger have spoken highly of Wright’s version, and many hoped it would be the best King adaptation of the year. However, early reviews are in, and while generally good, it appears The Running Man might actually be the least impressive of all the Stephen King movies released in 2025.

Currently, The Running Man has a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 65 reviews. This score keeps director Edgar Wright’s streak of “Fresh” films alive – he’s had positive reviews for every movie since 2004’s Shaun of the Dead. However, it’s his lowest-rated King adaptation so far in 2025. Other King films he’s directed – The Monkey (77%), The Life of Chuck (80%), and The Long Walk (88%) – have all been certified Fresh. The Running Man also scores lower than Wright’s Last Night in Soho (75%), making it his lowest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes overall.

What Critics Are Saying About The Running Man

While early reactions to The Running Man were very positive, especially praising Glen Powell and director Edgar Wright’s style, reviews are now more divided. The film definitely has its supporters, but it’s receiving more criticism than Wright’s previous, widely acclaimed movies. Common complaints center around the movie’s inconsistent tone – it seems to struggle between being a dark, serious adaptation of the original story and a lighthearted action film. Some reviewers also feel it doesn’t fully delve into the social issues at the heart of the story, which weakens its impact.

I really wanted to love this movie, especially knowing how talented everyone involved was! Powell absolutely shines as the lead – he’s so charismatic – and the action scenes, thanks to Wright’s style, are fantastic. But honestly, it just doesn’t quite reach its full potential. It’s a bit disappointing because Wright is amazing at blending exciting action with genuinely moving stories, and that’s what got me so hyped for his take on The Running Man. It’s not a bad movie, and fans of Stephen King or Wright will still find things to enjoy, but it just falls short of being truly great, which is a shame.

It remains to be seen how critics’ reviews will affect how well The Running Man does in theaters. While director Edgar Wright doesn’t always guarantee huge box office numbers, he has a dedicated following and one major success (Baby Driver, which earned $226.9 million worldwide), so Paramount was likely hoping to attract those fans. However, the mixed reviews might lead audiences to wait and watch The Running Man at home. Though the film has plenty of action, reviews suggest it’s not essential to see in a theater, especially with the well-regarded Predator: Badlands also currently playing. Badlands is ‘Certified Fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes and had a strong opening weekend, and it’s expected to continue drawing audiences this week.

I’m still seeing a relatively small number of reviews coming in for The Running Man right now. For context, Last Night in Soho has 351 reviews and Baby Driver has 394, so we’ll definitely see a lot more opinions surface over time. That means the current score could definitely shift in the next few days as more critics share their thoughts. While early reviews are usually a good sign of where things are headed, it doesn’t look like The Running Man is on track to earn that coveted “Certified Fresh” rating, unfortunately.

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2025-11-12 01:40