Stephen King’s R-Rated Thriller Remake Of ’80s Action Classic Becomes Major VOD Hit

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Now that a Stephen King novel has been adapted into a movie for the second time, the film is gaining popularity through video-on-demand services.

Since its release on November 14, 2025, The Running Man is now available to rent or buy online. The new adaptation of Stephen King’s story has quickly become one of the most popular films on Prime Video, currently ranking as the fourth best-selling title. This isn’t the first time King’s 1982 novel has been brought to the screen; a movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was released in 1987.

Glen Powell will lead the 2025 film as Ben Richards. The cast also includes Josh Brolin as Dan Killian, Colman Domingo as Bobby Thompson, Michael Cera as Elton Parrakis, and Lee Pace as Evan McCone. Edgar Wright wrote and directed this R-rated movie.

With a production budget of $110 million, The Running Man has earned $69 million worldwide. Of that amount, $37.8 million was earned in the U.S., and $30.7 million came from international audiences.

Critics gave The Running Man a score of 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 280 reviews. But audiences seem to like it more, giving it a 78% rating with over 2,500 votes.

In a review for ScreenRant, Alex Harrison noted that The Running Man remains an enjoyable film, though he felt some of the original story’s impact was lost in the adaptation. He also pointed out that while the movie showcases director Edgar Wright’s strengths with its energy and action sequences, it also reveals some of his limitations as a storyteller.

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Besides The Running Man, Stephen King has seen many of his stories adapted for film and television in 2025. This includes a revival of the IT franchise as the HBO prequel series, IT: Welcome to Derry, and a movie adaptation of The Long Walk directed by Francis Lawrence.

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2025-12-20 21:52