The Running Man

1987 101 min ★ 6.5 Action, Thriller, Science Fiction

By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.

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Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ben Richards

Richard Dawson

Damon Killian

María Conchita Alonso

Amber Mendez

Yaphet Kotto

William Laughlin

Jim Brown

Fireball

Jesse Ventura

Captain Freedom

Erland van Lidth

Dynamo

Marvin J. McIntyre

Harold Weiss

Gus Rethwisch

Buzzsaw

Professor Toru Tanaka

Subzero

Details

Director

Paul Michael Glaser

Screenplay

Steven E. de Souza

Tagline

"It is the year 2019. "The Running Man" is a deadly game no one has ever survived. But Schwarzenegger has yet to play."

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Budget

$27,000,000

Revenue

$38,122,105

Production

Braveworld Productions, Keith Barish Productions, Taft Entertainment Pictures

Reviews

J

John Chard

August 7, 2016

★ 7/10

I'm not into politics. I'm into survival. The Running Man is directed by Paul Michael Glaser and adapted from the Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) story by Steven E. de Souza. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland van Lidth, Marvin J. McIntyre, Gus Rethwisch, Professor Toru Tanaka and Mick Fleetwood. Music is by Ha...

C

CinemaSerf

November 16, 2025

★ 6/10

“Richards” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has always had trouble with authority. Usually, that’s because he doesn’t like carrying out arbitrary orders in his newly militarised USA. When he finally finds himself on the wrong side of the law, his options are reduced to participation in the ultimate game show. He can win his freedom and a life of luxury if he’s the last man standing, but along the way he is...

G

GenerationofSwine

June 6, 2026

★ 10/10

OK, it wasn't like the novel.... the Novel was sort of Network turned into an action movie with a scrawny lead... and this missed the mark and went more into straight Science Fiction Action, but it's still really fun to watch and still has some of the satirical edge to it. Which puts it above the remake which dropped satire altogether, and just made the movie into a nonstop lecture about how th...