Glen Powell will take the lead in the upcoming The Running Man remake, which will have Edgar Wright at the helm. However, the dystopian action, which is based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel, was previously adapted in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Since it was in production, Schwarzenegger was aware of what was going on. Glen Powell even highlighted that the Terminator actor gave his «blessing» for the remake. The upcoming adaptation won’t only have Schwarzenegger’s blessing because the upcoming The Running Man also pays tribute to Paul Michael Glaser’s 1987 original actor and features a blink-and-you-missed-it cameo of Schwarzenegger in teh trailer.
The dystopian action film follows a game show named The Running Man. The contestants are usually in need of money, which they can only win if they can escape the murderous Hunters that are chasing them around the world to stop them from winning over a period of 30 days.
After a long wait, Paramount Pictures officially released the first trailer for The Running Man, which gives a look at the upcoming Stephen King adaptation. The action-packed trailer details Powell’s character, Ben Richards, who has a sick daughter, and he’s in need of money to help her. To do so, he signs up for The Running Man.
The Running Man remake cleverly pays tribute to Schwarzenegger with a sneaky cameo. Near the beginning of the trailer, which shows the opening for The Running Man, a dark-haired woman holds a handful of $100 bills, which feature Arnold Schwarzenegger looking like a president. It’s unclear whether the actor will make an in-person cameo, but the sneaky moment at the 0:26 mark is a clever way to have the actor be a part of the new adaptation.
While it’s unclear which role Schwarzenegger has to earn the $100 bill, the cameo is also a clever way at the actor’s political career, and a nod to those who would’ve liked the star to continue to advance in U.S. politics.
1987’s The Running Man received mixed reviews. The sci-fi action film has the critics and the audience in agreement, as the former gave The Running Man a 67% approval score, which is enough for a «fresh» rating but nothing impressive, and the audience gave it a 61% approval score.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Admitted The Running Man Could've Been Better
In a recent interview with CBR to promote FUBAR Season 2, Arnold Schwarzenegger also addressed the sci-fi film and the upcoming reimagining. The actor also admitted that there were some things that could’ve been improved in the original, although he highlighted the film had strong visual effects.
«I mean, I love the idea that they’re doing a sequel to Running Man, or a remake,» Schwarzenegger said about the upcoming reimagining. «I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I mean, because I always felt when we did, Running Man was one of the movies that it did, that it felt like, I think it would have been great if we would have been better prepared for this movie, if we would have had more money for this movie, and if we would have had then… the visual effects, the technology of visual effects, that they have today, all of those things I wished after the movie came out, I felt like it could have been better.»
Schwarzenegger clarified, «It was great, but it could have been better, and I think that they have a good chance now with the new Running Man to make it better. And I hope, for their sake and for my sake, I hope that they will be successful.»
The Running Man premieres in theaters on Nov. 7.
