‘The Running Man’ finally hits streaming — here’s when you can watch Glen Powell’s divisive thriller
When 'The Running Man' debuted in theatres in the US on November 14, 2025, expectations surrounding the Stephen King adaptation were high. However, despite being released nationwide in theaters, 'The Running Man' failed to live up to the hype and delivered a lackluster box office performance. Opening with $16.5 million during the first week, the movie eventually amassed a total of more than $69 million at the box office, according to a report by Variety magazine. This fell significantly short of the movie's total budget of $110 million.
To offset the loss accrued, the Paramount Pictures film is now being made available on Paramount+ with the hope that a streaming run will make up for the lost revenue. ScreenRant has confirmed that 'The Running Man' will be available for streaming on Paramount+ starting January 13. Paramount+ users with a premium subscription package, based in the US and Canada, will be able to stream the film from the comfort of their own homes. It is expected that the streaming service will soon announce the release of the movie for its users based in other geographical zones.
'The Running Man', written by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, presents a depressing dystopian world where an authoritarian media conglomerate controls the state and everything that comes with it. Glen Powell appears as blue-collar worker Ben Richards. Despite trying his best to make ends meet, Richards is unable to hold down a job due to widespread unemployment and the economic collapse. When his daughter falls ill, Richards is left with no choice but to arrange for her medication. Finding himself in dire straits, Richards enlists himself for the competitive game known as 'The Running Man'.
The authoritarian media conglomerate organizes the game itself. It involves Richards surviving for 30 days on his own while he's chased from one place to another and hunted by the show's mercenaries and other civilians in general. The eerie plot makes things interesting by ensuring that all of Richard's trials and tribulations are broadcast on television, allowing the rest of the nation to revel in his tragedy. If he happens to survive the 30 days, he would be crowned the winner of the competition and win the top prize of $1 billion.
Collider confirmed that 'The Running Man' stars Josh Brolin, William H Macy, Michael Cera, Lee Pace, Daniel Ezra, Emilia Jones, Sean Hayes, and Jayme Lawson, alongside Powell. The film is directed by Edgar Wright, who also co-wrote the script in association with Michael Bacall. The producers include Wright, Nira Park, and Simon Kinberg, with George Linder, Rachael Prior, James Biddle, Pete Chiappetta, and Audrey Chon having served as executive producers. This marks the second time that the source material has been adapted for the big screen, following Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 adaptation.
