‘The Running Man’ Ending, Explained: Ben Richards’ Fate Revealed

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The ending of The Running Man is thrilling and action-packed, leaving viewers pondering what happens next. Starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards, the film—based on the Stephen King story—follows a man who joins a dangerous TV game show, hoping to win a cash prize to help his ill daughter. But as the story unfolds, his victories inspire a secret rebellion, and his participation becomes about more than just winning.

The story reaches its peak on an airplane, where Ben Richards tries to scare Dan Killian and Evan McCone by falsely claiming Amelia’s handbag is a bomb. When they don’t believe him, Richards is forced to choose between giving himself up to Killian – potentially becoming a big star on FreeVee – or fighting to escape. He chooses to fight, leading to a quick final scene packed with subtle details.

How Ben Richards Survives ‘The Running Man’


Paramount Pictures

Man, things get really twisted for Ben when Dan Killian tells him his wife and kid are gone. The problem is, with the tech in this movie – FreeVee can fake anything with video. It’s impossible to tell what’s real anymore. Then Killian offers Ben a deal: kill the Hunters, and he’ll get a TV show and be rich. But Ben refuses! He thinks he’s broadcasting live and decides to just tell the FreeVee audience what he really thinks, hoping to expose everything.

After Ben finishes speaking, Killian points out that FreeVee had already switched to commercials, meaning Ben’s entire monologue wasn’t broadcast. Killian then takes control of the plane and deliberately flies it into the FreeVee tower, intending to make it look like Ben, the winner of Running Man, was a crazed terrorist. The story ends with a video message from the Apostle (Daniel Ezra) revealing that Richards actually survived by ejecting in an escape pod just in time.

Despite some conflicting information, it seems Ben’s family survived and he’s happily reunited with them. His popularity on The Running Man has sparked a growing rebellion, with people chanting “Ben Lives!” Amelia managed to escape with flyers that reveal the truth about what happened to Ben on the show, exposing how FreeVee tricked viewers into believing he was the villain.

The scene cuts to a furious crowd gathered at the live FreeVee studio. Backstage, Dan Killian intimidates Bobby T (Colman Domingo) when Bobby tries to resign as host, prompting Killian to strike out on his own. The crowd rapidly becomes violent, and a man rushes the stage, tackling Killian. It’s Ben, fulfilling his role as the catalyst for rebellion, killing Dan Killian and seeking revenge for all those who died for the sake of entertainment on The Running Man.

The Real Meaning Behind ‘The Running Man’s Ending


Paramount Pictures

The ending of The Running Man is intentionally confusing. The movie constantly plays with the idea of fake video, leaving viewers unsure if Ben Richards actually lives or if the Apostle and Killian are simply manipulating the broadcast to control the story. This ambiguity is central to the film’s message: The Running Man explores how entertainment and news can be used by a controlling government. The film reveals that the American government owns nearly all news and entertainment outlets, giving it a complete monopoly on information. This allows the government to control the population through propaganda, constant surveillance, and the use of AI to distort the truth.

When Ben joins The Running Man, he hopes to earn money by participating in a dangerous game controlled by a powerful corporation. But the game is rigged, and the corporation always wins. Dan Killian, the show’s producer, keeps Ben alive longer than expected, realizing his struggles for survival make good television. While Ben faces constant threats, Killian decides it’s more profitable to keep him alive. However, by letting the game go on too long, Killian inadvertently allows Ben to connect with the viewing public, and with the help of a rebel group, Ben ultimately wins over the audience and escapes.

The film The Running Man explores how a controlling government might use television to keep people in line. It centers on Ben Richards, a man pushed to his limit by a society that constantly mistreats him and threatens his daughter. While the rich live comfortably, Ben’s rage becomes his defining characteristic – something that can’t be bought or calmed. This anger sparks a larger movement, and with the aid of a rebel group’s messaging, Ben transforms into a symbol of hope for those oppressed by the powerful FreeVee network and the government itself.

How ‘The Running Man’s Ending Differs From the Stephen King Novel


Paramount Pictures

The book and movie versions of The Running Man have very different endings. The novel is much bleaker. While the film shows Ben Richards surviving and getting his revenge on Dan Killian before reuniting with his family—similar to the ending of The Dark Knight Rises—the book sees Ben fatally wounded during his fight with McCone, which leads him to make a desperate final choice. In the novel, Ben manages to take control of the plane and crash it into the Games Network headquarters himself, whereas in the film, Killian is the one flying the plane.

The explosion was massive, illuminating the night sky as if with divine fury, and burning debris fell over a twenty-block radius.

The last line of The Running Man ends the story abruptly, with no follow-up. It’s a surprising conclusion because, despite Ben Richards defeating Dan Killian and destroying the Games Network, Ben also dies. Viewers of the film might think the events after the plane crashes are staged, but in Edgar Wright’s adaptation, it’s Killian who deliberately flies the plane into the building – not Ben.

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2025-11-13 22:19