Running Man OG Shades Edgar Wright’s Flick: “Third Time’s the Charm in 2045?” Buckle Up, Star Signs Say It’s a Cosmic Mess!
Added on November 19, 2025 inEntertainment News Cards, Movie News Cards
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So, Edgar Wright’s The Running Man hit the screens with a decent buzz, but it’s looking more like a solid B-movie than a box office titan — just $28 million worldwide and trailing behind Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. Funny enough, Steven E. de Souza, that mastermind behind the ’87 Schwarzenegger flick, chimed in about the curious curse both versions share: the ending. According to him, the finale’s a bit like Mercury in retrograde — it’s there, it works on paper, but somewhere between script and screen, it all goes sideways. Both movies supposedly tweak that gloomy book ending, yet neither quite sticks the landing. De Souza’s holding out hope for a third attempt in 2045 that might finally get it right. Oh, the cosmic irony of cinematic timing! Can a movie fix what the stars seem to fumble? Grab your popcorn—and your horoscope—because this Running Man saga might just be a case of destiny or dread. LEARN MORE
Despite some decent early buzz, Edgar Wright’s The Running Man doesn’t appear to be destined for blockbuster status. The adaptation of Stephen King’s novel has grossed just $28 million worldwide, finding itself in second place behind Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. The writer of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Running Man, Steven E. de Souza, recently spoke with THR about how both films have received a similar critical response to the ending.
“I read it and [felt that] on paper, they got the ending working,” de Souza said. “Even the reviews that love it say it stumbles at the end. It seems to me that this time around, something went wrong between the page and the stage again.“
He continued, “The book’s ending is a downer, so you need a new ending. I would say that both the ’87 version and this version tweak the ending in pretty much the same way, except that in our version, we had less money, so it’s a little simpler. Maybe the third version in 2045 will stick the landing.“
De Souza added that he was “totally rooting” for the new version to succeed, “because I figured the more people see this movie, [then they] will want to go out and rent the old one, just for comparison’s sakes. So, win-win.“
The official synopsis for The Running Man: “In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.“
Our own Chris Bumbray had mixed feelings about the film. Although he was impressed by the sheer craft and spectacle on display, the film ultimately fell short in many ways, including the ending. “Where many may find The Running Man comes up short is in the final act, which feels truncated as it rushes toward the ending,” he wrote. “The finale itself feels anticlimactic—sped through, as if added in post-production.” You can read the rest of his review right here, and be sure to let us know what you thought of the film as well.
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