Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’ is both better and worse than the original

Not every fan-favorite from our childhood needs a reboot, and most of us don’t like it when you tinker with nostalgia. Pop culture memories look better than they actually were with the passage of time.

The Running Man (1987) was never great art. It exists today as a campy, fun artifact from when Arnold Schwarzenegger was the biggest Hollywood icon on the planet. It predicted reality television and the use of deep-fakes before anyone knew what those words meant. The original version holds little relevance to anyone under the age of 35. However, following the announcement of Edgar Wright’s version of The Running Man, the film surged back to the forefront. Who wouldn’t want to watch a sci-fi action flick about a guy on a deadly game show?

If anyone had permission to mess with our nostalgia, it would be Wright. His high-energy, visually appealing style has made him a beloved figure with films such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Baby Driver. He’s one of a handful of directors who are seemingly incapable of making a dull feature. Surely he would create an amazing version of The Running Man—especially with ascending superstar Glen Powell cast in the lead role.

Mission accomplished? Sorta. In some ways, The Running Man (2025) is vastly superior to The Running Man (1987). The acting is much better— granted, that’s a low bar. The 1987 cast included an ex-NFL running back (Jim Brown), a WWE star (Jesse Ventura), and a music star (Mick Fleetwood). The 2025 cast features Academy Award nominees Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, and William H. Macy. For the most part, everyone delivers with one notable exception (We’ll get to him in a moment).

What is also impressive about The Running Man (2025) are the visuals and set pieces. Unlike the original film, which took place in a dark labyrinth, we see much more of this dystopian world. Different cities, different interiors, different types of buildings and vehicles. Wright knows how to keep his audience’s attention.

What doesn’t quite work is Glen Powell’s performance, which is a shocking thing to write. The charismatic Powell that we saw in Anyone But You, Twisters, Hit Man, and Top Gun: Maverick is missing in action. Where did he go? Instead, we get Powell playing Ben Richards as a surly protagonist with a sick daughter and anger management issues. Maybe this interpretation is more in line with the Stephen King novel, but it’s not in the best interest of this movie.

Powell’s performance isn’t the only thing that’s off. There’s a general absence of fun. What The Running Man (1987) lacked in thespianism, it made up for in enjoyable cartoonishness. It remains a good hang, the kind of film you could watch with friends over the weekend. Say what you want about Schwarzenegger’s acting skills, he knew how to sell a movie, both on and off the screen. He was having a good time in a not-so-serious role. Hardly anyone seems to be having fun in The Running Man (2025).

Perhaps this is all a little unfair to Wright. In isolation, his latest feature is solid entertainment. But when you remake a fan favorite, these comparisons are inevitable. Josh Brolin as villain Damon Killian does his best, but what his character has to say is not new or as impactful as what Richard Dawson’s Damon Killian first told us: “This is television, that’s all it is. It’s nothing to do with people, it’s to do with the ratings.”

Some things you just can’t improve upon.