The Running Man
Movie, 2025, The 2020s, Set in A game show
The Running Man is #40 of 42 in release order and #24 of 42 in chronological order in the Stephen King Universe.
The story
Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards is convinced by The Running Man's charming but ruthless producer to enter the deadly competition 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.
The Running Man recap
The Running Man (2025) re-adapts King's novel: a desperate father joins a game show where hunters chase him through the real world. Edgar Wright directs Glen Powell as Ben Richards, a blacklisted labourer who needs money for his sick daughter's medicine. Producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) of the all-powerful Network offers his family protection and money, and Ben enters The Running Man: three runners have 30 days to survive the Network's hunters, led by Evan McCone (Lee Pace), for a billion-dollar prize. Bobby T (Colman Domingo) hosts. Ben becomes the show's most popular runner as he is chased from New York to Boston and Maine, helped by rebels including Elton Parrakis (Michael Cera) and Molie (William H. Macy), several of whom are killed. The Network airs a deepfake of him, and he takes a wealthy hostage, Amelia Williams (Emilia Jones), who at first believes the Network's lies.
The Running Man ending explained
The Running Man ends with Ben surviving and the public turning on the Network. On a plane, Ben kills the hunters disguised as crew and then McCone, a former runner who took Killian's deal. The Network shoots the plane down, but Ben is ejected and survives. A rebel releases the black box with Ben's real conversations with Killian, sparking an uprising. Ben is reunited with his family, whose deaths Killian faked, and when Killian takes over hosting the next season and a riot breaks out, Ben shoots him. In the novel, Richards dies flying a plane into the Network's tower.
Post-credits scenes
No. The Running Man has no post-credits scene; pages from Elton's fanzine appear during the credits.
Where to watch The Running Man
The Running Man is streaming on Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount+, Philo, and MGM Plus in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 61%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Long Walk, before It: Welcome to Derry.
- Chronological order: after The Long Walk, before Carrie.
What to watch before The Running Man
In release order, 23 Stephen King Universe essentials come before The Running Man (2025), from Carrie (1976) to The Long Walk (2025).
Cast
- Glen Powell as Ben Richards
- Colman Domingo as Bobby T.
- Lee Pace as Evan McCone
- Josh Brolin as Dan Killian
- William H. Macy as Molie
- Michael Cera as Elton Perrakis
- Emilia Jones as Amelia Williams
- Daniel Ezra as Bradley
- Jayme Lawson as Sheila Richards
- Sean Hayes as Gary Greenbacks
- Katy O'Brian as Jenni Laughlin
- Karl Glusman as 'Frank'
Directed by Edgar Wright.