One of the hottest trends in Hollywood right now is to search through classic pictures of the 1980s and 1990s and revitalise them for modern audiences. The Running Man is the latest movie to get this treatment, with Edgar Wright taking on the project this time.
Unlike a lot of reboots and remakes, though, this film is set to ignore the Arnold Schwarzenegger offering from 1987 and be more of a direct adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name. Josh Brolin is the biggest name attached to the project, but it will also include Glen Powell and Michael Cera.
Second Adaptation of Stephen King’s Novel
Brolin will be playing the role of the fictional show’s producer in this new adaptation of The Running Man. The upcoming film will stick more closely to the premise of King’s 1982 book, which he released under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Wright has already said that he wants to honour the novel’s bleak vision of a dystopian society, something he believes wasn’t achieved fully with the first movie.
For this to work, it will need one of the best character actors in the world in the role of the ruthless Dan Killian (changed from Damon Killian in the previous picture). Richard Dawson played the character last time in his final ever screen role, and Brolin will want to honour his performance while delivering his own take on the narcissistic character.
What Else is Brolin Working On?
Brolin continues to be one of the busiest actors in the business, and The Running Man isn’t the only picture he’ll be starring in this year. One of the most exciting projects he’s involved in is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, which is currently in post-production and slated for a December release on Netflix. He’ll also be in the horror film Weapons this year, and The Dog Stars in 2026.
Among the various projects Brolin has been rumoured to be involved in, there’s also talk of the actor returning to where it all began. Brolin’s first ever big screen part came in The Goonies in 1985, and the legacy of Richard Donner’s picture still lives on today. Indeed, 40 years later, there have been a whirlwind of different adaptations, from Flash-based online games to a recently proposed spin-off show about the making of a shot-for-shot remake of the film. Furthermore, the Goonies slot game is up there among the top listed slots and bingo titles at online bingo sites, giving more demographics an entry point to the online version of the classic ball draw. All of this disparate merchandising coincides with a lot of campaigning for there to be a new offering in the franchise.
According to the latest reports, The Goonies 2 will be happening, with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg attached as producer. Brolin has already confirmed that he’ll return to the franchise that kickstarted his career, along with some of the other famous faces from that adventure. It will be great to see those cast members reunited again after all this time.
As for right now, The Running Man looks to be the most exciting project to see Brolin in this year. Wright has a knack for bringing his own unique twist to his films, and the new version is unlikely to be anything like the last. Brolin could be key in defining the direction that this one goes in, and he’s likely to bring some nuance to the villainous role of Dan Killian.
