Stephen King Hails ‘The Running Man’ Remake as a Modern ‘Die Hard’
Stephen King has dubbed the new version of The Running Man the 'Die Hard' for today's audience, praising its charismatic lead and gripping action, even though the film struggled at the box office.
When it comes to action movies, comparing anything to Die Hard has become almost a cliché in Hollywood. Still, that didn’t stop Stephen King from making the comparison himself. Since John McClane’s wild night in Nakatomi Plaza, the Die Hard formula—one hero, one location, high stakes—has been copied countless times. Some films, like The Rock, Speed, Air Force One, and Con Air, managed to put their own spin on the concept, setting the action in places like Alcatraz, a speeding bus, or even a hijacked plane. But for every hit, there have been plenty of forgettable attempts that just couldn’t capture the same magic.
Movies like Sudden Death, Performance Command, Top of the World, and Point Blank tried to recreate the formula in settings as varied as hockey arenas and shopping malls, only to find out that making a Die Hard-style thriller isn’t as easy as it looks.
Stephen King’s Unique Take
To be fair, King wasn’t drawing a direct parallel. He was also giving himself a bit of credit, since the movie he called the Die Hard of this generation is based on his own story. While he didn’t make this claim about the original, he did so when Edgar Wright took on the remake. King told the BFI,
“It’s got just a twinkle in it,”
and went on to praise Glen Powell’s portrayal of Ben Richards, saying,
“He’s an immensely likable character, and he has that in common with McClane in Die Hard. So, I mean, it’s important to have a likeable main character, and he really is, and he feels fleshed out. It’s good.”
Comparing Two Action Icons
Despite King’s enthusiasm, the comparison doesn’t quite hold up. The Running Man follows Richards as he races for survival across the country for a full month, while McClane’s ordeal is confined to a single night during an office Christmas party. Edgar Wright’s big-budget take on the story hasn’t made a lasting impression, and it’s already fading from public memory. In today’s movie landscape, spending over $100 million on an R-rated action film is a gamble, even with Glen Powell’s rising star power. Unfortunately, the film flopped at the box office and hasn’t come close to earning back its budget.
Legacy and Impact
Die Hard went on to inspire four sequels, though each one struggled to live up to the original. As for The Running Man, it’s unclear if it will even get a second look from those who saw it in theaters. While King’s endorsement gave the remake a boost, it remains to be seen if the film will find a lasting place in the action movie canon.