‘Squid Game’ Meets Stephen King in 2025’s Most Savage Sci-Fi Reboot

Some dystopian stories are subtle warnings about the future. Others simply grab capitalism, television, violence, and audience bloodlust, throw them into a blender, and shout over the noise. This one belongs very much in the second camp. It has a deadly game show, a desperate man fighting to survive, a public slowly turning him into a symbol, and a media machine that would rather monetize suffering than admit it created the problem in the first place. So, you know, light escapism.

The Running Man is now streaming, bringing Edgar Wright’s new adaptation of Stephen King’s story to home audiences. The film stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, an ordinary man who enters a deadly televised competition to save his sick daughter. As Richards survives longer than expected, he becomes both a ratings sensation and a threat to the network controlling the game. The movie began streaming on Paramount+ in January 2026 after its theatrical release.

The cast of The Running Man includes Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, Dune) as Dan Killian, Colman Domingo (Rustin, Sing Sing) as Bobby T, Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy, Halt and Catch Fire) as Evan McCone, Michael Cera (Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as Elton Parrakis, Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding, The Mandalorian) as Laughlin, and Emilia Jones (CODA, Locke & Key) as Amelia Williams.

Is ‘The Running Man’ Worth Watching?

The movie grossed around $69 million at the worldwide box office, against a reported budget of $110 million. It received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, though its streaming run has given Wright’s Stephen King adaptation a second chance with audiences. It has been listed around the low-to-mid 60% range on Rotten Tomatoes, with the remake generally outperforming the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film among critics.

In Collider’s review, Aidan Kelley called it one of Wright’s most “politically charged and challenging” films to date, adding that “the timing of The Running Man really is impeccable.” For many viewers, that bite may have hit harder at home than in packed theaters, but then that’s the benefit of streaming. If you want an endorsement, the President of Movies himself, Tom Cruise, took to his personal X account to share a photo of himself at a screening of The Running Man, along with star Powell, where he sang the praises of the new action movie. “Another great night out with my friends at the movies!” Cruise shared. “You guys crushed it, congratulations! I laughed, was on the edge of my seat, and ate way too much popcorn.”

The Running Man is now streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video in select markets.