The Running Man: Incredible facts about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 thriller

The Running Man: Incredible facts about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 thriller

The Running Man delivered a high-octane blend of dystopian spectacle and action-comedy, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards.

Based loosely on a novel by Stephen King (under the pen name Richard Bachman), the movie pushed the boundaries of televised violence, satire and survival.

As the reboot from Edgar Wright makes its debut, here are 5 fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about the original …

1. Rights surprise

When producer Rob Cohen bought the rights to the author Richard Bachman ’s 1982 novel, he was stumped at the high price.

It turned out Bachman was a pseudonym for Stephen King, which made the work far more valuable than Cohen initially realised.

2. Alternate casting

Before Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on, the lead role of Ben Richards was proposed for actors like Christopher Reeve and Patrick Swayze.

Other names floated included Keith Carradine and Richard Dreyfuss.

It wasn’t until Schwarzenegger’s action persona was embraced that the production shifted gears.

3. Real game show host

The Running Man cast real game show presenter Richard Dawson - known for hosting Family Feud - as the villainous show-host Damon Killian.

Interestingly, a cut scene had shown Killian meeting a grim end by being eaten by alligators, but the sequence was ultimately scrapped due to budget concerns.

4. Arnie vs Arnie

Originally slated for a July 1987 release, The Running Man was delayed by four months.

The distributor wanted to avoid direct competition with Schwarzenegger’s other summer release, Predator.

5. Stephen King’s opinion

Stephen King famously disapproved of the 1987 adaptation of The Running Man, citing how far it diverged from his original novel’s dark themes of survival and corporate cruelty.

The author even insisted his name not be used in marketing and publicly distanced himself from the movie.