The Running Man could have a cool aesthetic

The resurgence that Stephen King is currently experiencing, thanks in no small part to the popularity of streaming platforms, is a sight worth seeing. There are some of King's works that are more popular than others, and at a time when companies are reluctant to take any real risks, the author's resurgence is thanks to remakes of previously released IPs. Most recently, HBO Max showed a remake of Salem's property as part of its Halloween offering. However, there are several projects in the works that will come to streaming next year. This also includes a completely new perspective The running mana book written under King's pseudonym Richard Bachman. It is also a remake of the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This remake of The running manSet to release on Paramount+ in November 2025, Glenn Powell will star as lead protagonist Ben Richards, the same character Schwarzenegger played in the original film. With the project set to release next year, filming has officially begun, giving avid Stephen King fans their first leaked look at what this Edgar Wright-helmed project will look like. Some set photos show that Wright will be moving away from the film and sporting a look more in keeping with the book. Judging from what's been shown so far, the director is definitely going for a very cool aesthetic that could make audiences feel like this particular story is more in line with what could be.

The running man stays close to the source material

The way the 1987 film was made is in some ways very similar to the way Stanley Kubrick adapted it The shining one. In other words, The running man contained some important parts of the book, including the characters' names and the plot. However, the director of this film, Paul Michael Glaser, took some liberties in developing the story.

Written in 1982, The running man is set in a dystopian view of the future, in this case 2025 (hence the very random release date). In this dark future, the country's economy is in ruins and global violence is increasing. To try to appease an increasingly agitated American public, the fascist government has created a game show network that is a kind of offshoot of modern reality television, or perhaps a kind of spiritual predecessor to it Squid game. Contestants, including Powell's Ben Richards, can take part in these games, which have very real and very deadly consequences.

Each game has different cash prizes for different achievements and a huge payout if someone manages to win the whole thing. The running man is one of the most difficult to win, as each contestant is given just enough money to go on the run, anywhere in the world, while trying to evade law enforcement and bounty hunters for 30 days.

In the original film, Schwarzenegger's Ben Richards was trapped in some sort of arena where he had to run and hide and not survive quite as long. However, set photos that have surfaced online for Powell's version offer a very different background. And one that's both familiar and just different enough to highlight the really cool aesthetic.

A past without a future

The set photos that surfaced first The Daily Mail show a future that looks very different than what was offered in Schwarzenegger's version. Richards doesn't wear colorful overalls, but looks like any normal man you might see on the street. The city he travels through, most likely referred to in the book as “Co-Op City”, looks like a modern city from our time, although everything is clearly reminiscent of the period.

The cars in particular convey the quality and aesthetics of a 2025 that included financial collapse years before. As the country and the world are in decline, technological progress has stopped. Retro cars from the 1980s could be seen in several pictures. Essentially, this version of King's adaptation will have the look and feel of a story that's supposed to be set in the future but is stuck in time, which is our past. The clothing of the extras on set hints at the same “stuck in time” look. However, there are some signs that things are a little different in this world than they were back then. a few shots of police officers wearing futuristic-looking body armor, which contrasts very nicely with the predominantly retro appearance.

There are also several shots of Powell's Ben Richards, most likely touring a huge building, perhaps the Gameshow Network headquarters, and getting lost in a crowd of extras. This picture is striking because there are no bright colors anywhere. Everyone wears earth tones and almost exclusively brown, gray or black. The buildings also seem old enough and dreary enough that the entire appearance exudes an oppressive atmosphere.

The way this new world of The running man From the looks of it, that means this Edgar Wright adaptation will deviate quite a bit from the 1987 version. It will be interesting to see how this story develops when it hits streaming next fall.

Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the most prolific living authors. A master of horror, King's classic works include The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, It and the Dark Tower series. Many of his books and short stories have been adapted for film and television, including The Shawshank Redemption, Lisey's Story, 1408, Secret Window and The Stand.

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