Stephen King Slams Superhero Movie Violence: Here’s Why He Thinks It’s Wrong

Stephen King has always been outspoken about violence in movies, and he recently shared his views while discussing the upcoming film adaptation of his novel The Running Man.

King believes that some films, especially superhero movies, fail to show the real consequences of violence.

“If you look at these superhero movies, you’ll see … some supervillain who’s destroying whole city blocks but you never see any blood,” King said. “And man, that’s wrong. It’s almost, like, por******** … I said, if you’re not going to show it, don’t bother. And so they made a pretty brutal movie.”

King’s childhood experiences shaped his perspective. In his 2000 memoir On Writing, he recalled that his father left when he was just two years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his older brother.

He described his early years as “herky-jerky” and went to school with children who “wore the same neck dirt for months.” He said these experiences influenced the characters in his early work, such as The Long Walk.

While writing The Long Walk in college, King witnessed young men being drafted to Vietnam, which reinforced his desire for realism in storytelling.

Years later, the idea for The Running Man came to him while living in a trailer with his wife Tabitha. “I was thinking, ‘What would it be like if there was a game show where people got killed?’” he said.

He imagined a society reminiscent of Nineteen Eighty-Four, with blood and public spectacles. During a snowy week in February, King wrote the entire novel and sent it to a publisher.

The upcoming film version of The Running Man is directed, co-written, and produced by Edgar Wright. This adaptation is the second film version of King’s 1982 novel, originally published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Paramount Pictures is set to release the movie on November 14, 2025.

The story follows Ben Richards, also called “The Runner,” who must survive a deadly game show for 30 days to win a billion-dollar prize. Glen Powell stars as Richards, with Josh Brolin as the show’s producer, Dan Killian. Other cast members include Lee Pace, William H. Macy, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, and Colman Domingo.

King’s insistence on showing the real consequences of violence has influenced the tone of the film. By embracing the dark and brutal themes of the novel, The Running Man promises to be a tense and gripping action thriller, staying true to King’s vision.

Stephen King has always pushed for realism in storytelling, and it’s refreshing to see a film adaptation honor that approach. Superhero movies often avoid showing the impact of violence, so a story like The Running Man could offer a much-needed change. Do you agree with King’s view on how violence should be shown in movies? Share your thoughts in the comments.