The Running Man
“It is the year 2019. "The Running Man" is a deadly game no one has ever survived. But... Schwarzenegger has yet to play.”
Synopsis
By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Running Man, The - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-07-02
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Ben Richards
Richard Dawson
Damon Killian
María Conchita Alonso
Amber Mendez
Yaphet Kotto
William Laughlin
Jim Brown
Fireball
Jesse Ventura
Captain Freedom
Erland van Lidth
Dynamo
Marvin J. McIntyre
Harold Weiss
Gus Rethwisch
Buzzsaw
Professor Toru Tanaka
Subzero
Mick Fleetwood
Mic
Dweezil Zappa
Stevie
Karen Leigh Hopkins
Brenda
Sven-Ole Thorsen
Sven
Edward Bunker
Lenny
Bryan Kestner
Med Tech
Anthony Pena
Valdez
Kurt Fuller
Tony
Release History & Theatrical Window
November 13, 1987
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 20, 2002
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$27M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$38.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.41x
+$11.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Paul Michael Glaser
- Screenplay & Story
- Steven E. de Souza
- Original Score
- Harold Faltermeyer
- Original Title
- The Running Man
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Budget
- $27M
- Worldwide Gross
- $38.1M
- Production Studios
- Braveworld Productions, Keith Barish Productions, Taft Entertainment Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Paul Michael Glaser
Steven E. de Souza, Stephen King
Harold Faltermeyer
Thomas Del Ruth, Rick Fichter, Reynaldo Villalobos
Mark Warner, John Wright, Edward A. Warschilka
George Linder, Tim Zinnemann, Keith Barish, Rob Cohen
Department Leadership Roster
Paul Michael Glaser
Director
George Linder
Producer
Tim Zinnemann
Producer
Harold Faltermeyer
Original Music Composer
Thomas Del Ruth
Director of Photography
Mark Warner
Editor
John Wright
Editor
Jack T. Collis
Production Design
Robert Blackman
Costume Design
Edward A. Warschilka
Editor
Steven E. de Souza
Screenplay
Bennie E. Dobbins
Stunt Coordinator
Robert Grasmere
Visual Effects Supervisor
Ron Cobb
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted to Adults (18+).
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Running Man.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Running Man.
2026 movies watched playlist
Here is the list of how many hours of movies that I watched in 2026 movie list here so far.
Movie Collection
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Watched
I watch way too much but not everything till the end.
Movies That I have watched all
All of my ratings are the movies that I have seen.
Similar Titles to The Running Man
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
8.3
8.2
7.0
8.2
7.3
6.0
7.1
7.0
7.2
7.1
7.4
6.2
6.6
6.6
6.2
8.6Anime
8.4Anime
7.9
7.1
More Like The Running Man
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Running Man
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Running Man about?
By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.
Who directed The Running Man?
The Running Man was directed by Paul Michael Glaser.
Who stars in The Running Man?
The principal cast of The Running Man includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson, María Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown.
When was The Running Man released and how long is it?
The Running Man was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Running Man?
The Running Man had a reported production budget of $27M and grossed $38.1M at the worldwide box office (1.41 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Running Man?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Running Man was composed by Harold Faltermeyer.
Is The Running Man based on a book or true story?
The Running Man is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Stephen King".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Running Man?
The Running Man holds official age classifications: AU: R 18+; CA: 18A; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); IN: A (Restricted to Adults (18+).); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).