Stephen King Approves Of Edgar Wright’s The Running Man Ending

Adapting a beloved novel for the screen is a monumental task, especially when the author is Stephen King. For every successful translation like The Shawshank Redemption, there is a version that misses the mark. Director Edgar Wright, known for his kinetic style and sharp wit, is keenly aware of this pressure as he brings his new, more faithful adaptation of King’s dystopian thriller, The Running Man, to life. In a move that will surely excite and relieve fans, it has been revealed that Stephen King approves The Running Man ending that Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall have crafted, even though it deviates from the novel’s shocking conclusion.

This approval is more than just a polite nod; it’s a crucial endorsement for a film that aims to honor the source material while navigating the complexities of a post-9/11 world. This article will explore why the book’s original ending required a change, what that change signifies for the new adaptation, and why King’s blessing is so significant.

Stephen King Novel Vs. 2025 Movie: A Tale of Two Running Men

First published in 1982 under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman, The Running Man is a bleak, furious novel set in a dystopian America of 2025. It tells the story of Ben Richards, an impoverished and desperate man who volunteers for the state-run television network’s most popular and lethal game show. To win, he must evade a team of elite Hunters for 30 days. The book is a dark, Orwellian commentary on class disparity, media manipulation, and societal decay.

Many audiences are more familiar with the 1987 film adaptation starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. That version traded the novel’s grim tone for high-octane action, colorful spandex-clad killers, and memorable one-liners. While a beloved 80s action classic in its own right, it is a significant departure from King’s original vision.

Edgar Wright’s new film, starring Glen Powell as a more everyman Ben Richards, is set to be a much more faithful adaptation of the book’s darker tone and themes. However, from the outset, Wright knew one crucial element had to be updated for modern audiences: the ending.

Why the Original Ending Had to Change (Spoilers Ahead)

Stephen King’s novel concludes with one of the most nihilistic and startling final acts in his bibliography. A wounded and cornered Ben Richards, knowing his time is up, makes a final, desperate move. He hijacks a commercial airplane and, in a suicidal act of defiance, crashes it directly into the Games Network skyscraper, the monolithic symbol of his oppression. The book ends with the tower erupting in a massive fireball, a final, brutal statement against the system that destroyed him.

When the book was published in 1982, this ending was a shocking and powerful piece of fiction. It was a metaphor for one man’s rage against a corrupt machine. However, in the wake of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, the imagery of a plane deliberately crashing into a skyscraper took on a horrific new reality. Recreating such a scene for a modern film would be incredibly problematic and insensitive. The fictional context would be overshadowed by the visceral, real-world trauma that the imagery evokes.

As Edgar Wright stated, “Everybody knew at the outset that [the novel’s ending] wasn’t going to be part of this adaptation exactly the way.” The decision to change the ending was not a creative choice to stray from the source material, but a necessary one to ensure the film’s message was not lost in a sea of unintended, painful associations.

The Nerve-Wracking Task of Seeking King’s Approval

Changing the ending of a Stephen King novel is a perilous endeavor. King himself is famously protective of his work and has been publicly critical of adaptations that he feels have missed the point (Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining being the most famous example). For Wright, sending the new script to the master of horror was a moment of immense pressure.

“Possibly the most nerve-wracking day of the entire production was writing to King with an attachment of the screenplay and pressing send,” Wright admitted.

The new conclusion had to achieve what the original did—provide a powerful, defiant end for Ben Richards’ journey—without using the now-untenable imagery. It needed to be impactful, thematically consistent with the novel’s rage against media and corporate power, and, most importantly, it needed to satisfy the story’s creator.

Fortunately, King’s response was overwhelmingly positive. “He realised even before he read it that we weren’t going to be doing the ending from the book,” Wright explained. “And when [King] emailed back, he said, ‘I was very curious how you were going to tackle the ending, and I think you did a great job.’”

What King’s Approval Means for the Film

Stephen King’s endorsement is a massive vote of confidence for Wright’s adaptation. It signals that the new ending, while different, successfully captures the spirit of the novel. It retains the book’s righteous anger and provides a fitting climax without resorting to the original’s problematic visuals. This stamp of approval frees the film from the potential backlash of die-hard fans who might have otherwise cried foul over any deviation from the sacred text.

Furthermore, it suggests that Wright and Bacall have found a creative solution that is both respectful of the source material and resonant for a contemporary audience. The core themes of The Running Man—economic inequality, reality television’s moral decay, and the public’s thirst for spectacle—are more relevant today than they were in 1982. A new ending, crafted for a modern world, has the potential to make these themes hit even harder.

While the specifics of the new conclusion remain a closely guarded secret until the film’s release, King’s enthusiastic approval is a promising sign. It indicates that the filmmakers understand what makes the story tick and have found a way to deliver its powerful message without the baggage of real-world tragedy.

A New Vision for a Classic Tale

Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is poised to reintroduce a classic Stephen King story to a new generation, this time with the grim, satirical edge that made the novel so compelling. The fact that Stephen King approves The Running Man ending is the best indication yet that this film will be a thoughtful, intense, and faithful adaptation. It’s a sign that Wright has navigated the difficult task of updating a classic with the care and respect it deserves, ensuring that Ben Richards’ final act of defiance will be just as powerful in 2025 as it was on the page in 1982.