The Running Man’s New Ending Is Way Too Optimistic for 2025

by

Spoilers ahead for the plot and ending of The Running Man.

You might recognize the premise: a grim future where a struggling population is forced to compete in a deadly game, all broadcast as entertainment by powerful leaders who are exploiting everyone. This describes both the recent movie The Long Walk (based on a Stephen King novel written as Richard Bachman) and the new film The Running Man. Both films closely follow their source material, drawing on real-world issues of inequality and our increasingly unsettling present. However, while The Long Walk director Francis Lawrence chose an even more depressing ending than the book, The Running Man director Edgar Wright went with a surprisingly optimistic finale that feels a little unrealistic.

While there was a 1987 film called The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this new adaptation is much closer to Stephen King’s original 1982 novel. The story follows Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a struggling worker in a rundown city, who enters a dangerous televised competition called The Running Man to earn money for his family’s medical bills. The show pits three contestants against a team of professional killers, known as the Hunters, in a month-long fight for survival. Contestants must also avoid being identified by the public, who can earn rewards for turning them in. The prize for lasting the full 30 days is a billion dollars, but even a week on the show would bring enough money to place Ben among the wealthiest people in the world. However, no one has ever survived the entire competition. The Network, the powerful company broadcasting The Running Man and run by Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), controls everything – the show, and the country itself – and always ensures it comes out on top.

Despite his mixed feelings about participating, Ben is surprisingly resilient, constantly changing his appearance and staying one step ahead of those hunting him throughout the Northeast. He gets help from people fighting against the Network, like Bradley Throckmorton and Elton Parrakis, who provide him with shelter and resources. However, he’s facing a powerful organization with surveillance everywhere – through constant camera monitoring and a show audience eager to report anyone they suspect. Like previous versions of this story, the Network has painted Ben as a criminal and enemy of the state, creating a story that lets people blame him for their problems. It’s a sadly familiar idea: a public swayed by propaganda turning on their neighbors, believing the people being chased – not those in charge – are to blame for their difficulties.

In a time when politicians are increasingly using AI to create fake evidence and spread conspiracy theories, the film accurately portrays how easily the media can be manipulated. Ben is pressured into filming daily updates for a show that, like reality TV, relies on personal confessionals. However, his efforts to expose the network’s wrongdoing are ignored. When he sends a video that challenges their narrative, they replace it with a convincing fake showing him celebrating the deaths of their soldiers. The network’s charismatic host, Bobby T, fuels public outrage, declaring, “Bloodlust is our birthright.” Despite the emergence of graffiti suggesting a growing resistance movement linked to Ben’s fate, his chances of success seem slim given the network’s immense power. This makes the film’s unexpectedly optimistic ending feel somewhat unrealistic.

During the final part of the movie, Ben discovers Amelia Williams (Emilia Jones) as a hostage. Amelia, who comes from a wealthy background, completely believes the Network’s story that Ben is a dangerous killer. Ben confronts her about her wealth, pointing out her expensive scarf and accusing her of valuing possessions over human life. Like in the book, Amelia realizes the Network might be the true enemy and eventually helps Ben, but in the film, she’s quicker to join his side. This is where the movie’s plot starts to feel less realistic: Amelia, who has been manipulated by propaganda her whole life, suddenly changes her beliefs because of a man who kidnapped her and threatened her with a gun. She helps Ben create a false story about a bomb, and they manage to escape on a plane, unaware that the Hunters – led by the enigmatic Evan McCone (Lee Pace) – are also on board. While in flight, Ben receives a call from Killian, who makes him an offer. If Ben eliminates the remaining Hunters, he’ll be given his own show, taking over McCone’s position. To further convince Ben, Killian reveals a devastating truth: Sheila and Cathy were killed by rogue Hunters, and he has video proof.

The movie closely follows Stephen King’s novel, including Ben’s violent actions. However, it adds a twist when McCone, the last of the Hunters, reveals he was also forced into his position and that the deaths of Sheila and Cathy were staged. In a final, brutal fight, Ben manages to win, but when offered a chance to speak on live television, he decides to expose the truth behind The Running Man. Unfortunately, his resistance is quickly overcome. He’s replaced by a digitally created copy of himself announcing plans to crash into Network headquarters. The Network seizes control of the plane, shoots it down with a missile before it reaches its target, and ends Ben’s life.

Everyone assumes a certain outcome, but it quickly becomes clear that Ben is unexpectedly thrown from the plane at the last second. Surprisingly, he’s reunited with his wife and daughter, who are both still alive. The situation continues to improve when the plane’s black box is discovered, revealing the truth about the flight – including Ben’s powerful speech against the Network. At the same time, Elton’s underground magazines are gaining popularity, exposing the Network’s corrupt leaders. This inspires people to rebel, and they arrive at the next live taping of The Running Man ready to cause trouble. Bobby T quickly escapes, but when Killian tries to regain control of the studio, the audience fights back with Molotov cocktails. Finally, Ben arrives and kills Killian.

The new version of The Running Man offers a much more hopeful ending than Stephen King’s original novel and even the 1987 film. Both previous versions concluded with a tragic sacrifice – in the book, the protagonist crashes a plane into the headquarters, killing himself and the villain. While the movie added a more conventional heroic finish, a similar ending today would be insensitive and a downbeat conclusion is uncommon in mainstream films. This updated story aims to be uplifting, showing a country overcoming oppression. However, the film’s portrayal of the rebellion feels hurried and doesn’t quite earn its success. It’s hard to believe the public would so quickly turn against the Network, given how the movie depicts a nation numbed by constant lies and even enjoying the spectacle of violence. While a resistance movement would naturally exist in this world, Ben’s ability to spark such a rapid revolution feels unrealistic.

The movie tries to balance two opposing ideas: a society completely controlled by a powerful media company and a rebellion sparked by independent, DIY publications (zines). While it’s great to see a celebration of print media, it feels unrealistic to suggest that simple pamphlets could overcome the power of convincing deepfake technology. It’s hard to believe people who readily accept everything on TV would suddenly turn against a controlling network just because of those pamphlets. Movies don’t need to be completely realistic, and the over-the-top nature of The Running Man allows for some creative license. However, the film’s optimistic ending feels out of touch given how divided and manipulated our culture is today – we see the effects of misinformation constantly. The Running Man aims to be an inspiring story of hope and resistance, but it asks viewers to suspend disbelief too much – not only within the world of the film, but also in relation to the current state of affairs.

Read More

2025-11-14 21:55