Stephen King’s Named His Worst Film Adaptation—Is It Worth the Hate?

Stephen King has never been shy about sharing his opinions on movies made from his books. He has openly criticized several adaptations, including the famous Stanley Kubrick version of The Shining.

Another film he strongly disliked is The Running Man, directed by Paul Michael Glaser and released in 1987. King was so unhappy with the movie that he asked for his name to be removed from the advertising. Instead of crediting Stephen King directly, the film’s opening credits say it’s based on a novel by Richard Bachman, which is actually King’s pen name.

The main problem King had with The Running Man movie was how different it was from his book. The original story is dark, serious, and grim. The film, on the other hand, is much lighter, with a fun, action-packed vibe and a happy ending. Despite these big changes, some people think both the book and the movie have their own good points.

The movie takes place in a future version of the United States between 2017 and 2019. It shows a TV game show where criminals, called “runners,” must try to survive while being hunted by professional killers. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the main runner trying to escape this deadly game. The film also features María Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, and Jesse Ventura.

When The Running Man came out, it did okay at the box office, making $38 million on a $27 million budget. Critics gave mixed reactions. Some felt the action scenes were repetitive, but others enjoyed the performances and thought the film had a funny take on TV culture, even if it didn’t take itself too seriously.

Some viewers found it entertaining for action fans, while others thought it was too violent and shallow in its attempt at satire.

On review websites, the movie holds a decent score, with around two-thirds of critics liking it and audiences giving it a solid grade. Over time, people have noticed that The Running Man made some smart guesses about the future.

It showed economic troubles, a big gap between rich and poor, and how obsessed society might become with reality TV. One of the movie’s writers even mentioned that a real TV show called American Gladiators used clips from The Running Man when pitching their concept, saying, “We’re doing exactly this, except the murdering part.”

Looking ahead, a new version of The Running Man is being made by director Edgar Wright and will star Glen Powell. This fresh take is scheduled to come out in 2025.

So, is The Running Man really a bad movie just because Stephen King disliked it? Not really. It might not be the dark, serious story King wrote, but it offers a different kind of fun. Fans of action and sci-fi might enjoy it as a classic ‘80s movie with some clever ideas about the future.

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