Stephen King is cool with 'The Running Man' movie's new ending
Stephen King, who wrote The Running Man, is totally on board with the new ending in Edgar Wright's 2025 film.
Chatting with Entertainment Weekly on November 15, King said, "I like the ending of Edgar's version... I think readers of the novel will be satisfied because they get to have it both ways."
He kept details under wraps but shared that the movie mixes bits from earlier versions.
Wait, how many endings does this story have?
There are three main takes:
In King's original 1982 novel, Ben Richards crashes a plane into a TV network building—pretty dark stuff.
The 1987 movie flips things by letting Richards survive and take down Killian before escaping.
Wright's new version blends both: Richards's plane is shot down but he escapes first, then reunites with his family and takes out Killian live on air—so it keeps some grit but adds hope.
Why did King give his blessing?
Director Edgar Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall actually asked King if they could tweak the ending.
He agreed because this mix honors his story while giving today's viewers a bit more closure.
It shows King cares about adapting his work for new audiences without losing what made it special.