The Running Man Remake Trailer Features An Arnold Schwarzenegger Cameo You Definitely Missed
It's no secret that Stephen King wasn't a fan of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger adaptation of his novel "The Running Man." The book is one of his angriest stories and takes place in a dystopian world where an ordinary schlub signs up to compete in the world's deadliest game to earn enough cash to save his sick daughter.
That's why King felt it was a mistake to cast Schwarzenegger, one of the least ordinary people of all time, losing the everyman appeal the character was supposed to inspire in the audience.
Now, nearly 30 years later, Edgar Wright is remaking "The Running Man" with Glen Powell — who, while still more jacked than anyone I know, is at least able to look the part of an ordinary down-on-his-luck father. This film looks like it will be the first major test for Powell as an action star, and judging by the film's trailer, he seems up for the task.
Unlike King, Wright is a huge fan of the 1987 film, and his enthusiasm for it is the reason the producers of the new "Running Man" chased him down to offer him the gig. Hence, it's no surprise to see the trailer for Wright's "Running Man" pays tribute to the Schwarzenegger movie by giving Arnold a cameo, albeit with a role more befitting Arnold's stature.
Arnold Schwarzenegger looks presidential on the face of the $100 dollar bill
In real life, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected as Governor of California and reigned over the west coast from 2003 to 2011. But because he wasn't born in the U.S., he was never eligible to run for President of the United States.
However, that doesn't seem to be a problem in the world of "The Running Man." Eagle-eyed viewers will spot Arnold looking awfully presidential in the film's trailer, with his portrait printed on the face of the $100 bill luring Glen Powell into this deadly game. Considering just how desperate Powell's Ben Richards is for cash, we are likely going to be seeing a lot of Schwarzenegger's mug over the runtime of "The Running Man." That said, there's no reason to expect the flesh-and-blood man himself will make an appearance.
In all likelihood, this is Edgar Wright's cheeky nod to both the 1987 film and the star who revolutionized the action genre that Wright himself has so cleverly skewered and paid homage to over his career. Get ready to make a run for theaters when "The Running Man" comes out on November 7, 2025.