IT IS THE YEAR 2019. “THE RUNNING MAN” IS A DEADLY GAME NO HAS EVER SURVIVED. BUT… SCHWARZENEGGER HAS YET TO PLAY.

In 2019, the United States is a dictatorship; former cop Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) escapes from a labor camp and ends up competing in a very popular, bloody game show on TV.

Actor Paul Michael Glaser’s most famous film as a director is this adaptation of a Stephen King story, written under his alias Richard Bachman. It’s a silly variation on The Most Dangerous Game, with far too many puns for its own good.

Never dull, but the futuristic satire was much more effective in the same year’s RoboCop.

1987-U.S. 101 min. Color. Directed by Paul Michael Glaser. Screenplay: Steven E. de Souza. Novel: Richard Bachman. Music: Harold Faltermeyer. Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Benjamin ”Ben” Richards), Richard Dawson (Damon Killian), María Conchita Alonso (Amber Mendez), Jesse Ventura, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Mick Fleetwood, Dweezil Zappa.

Trivia: At one point, Christopher Reeve was considered for the lead. Glaser replaced Andrew Davis as director. Paula Abdul choreographed the film’s dance sequences. Remade as The Running Man (2025).