It is the year 2019. "The Running Man" is a deadly game no one has ever survived. But... Schwarzenegger has yet to play.
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.
The Running Man (1987) is a action, thriller and science fiction film directed by Paul Michael Glaser, released on November 13, 1987 with a runtime of 1h 41m. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson, María Conchita Alonso and Yaphet Kotto. Viewers rate it 6.5 out of 10 across 2,964 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Running Man before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Running Man.
Trailer
Teaser
Arnold Schwarzenegger
as Ben Richards
Richard Dawson
as Damon Killian
María Conchita Alonso
as Amber Mendez
Yaphet Kotto
as William Laughlin
Jim Brown
as Fireball
Jesse Ventura
as Captain Freedom
Erland van Lidth
as Dynamo
Marvin J. McIntyre
as Harold Weiss
Gus Rethwisch
as Buzzsaw
Professor Toru Tanaka
as Subzero
Mick Fleetwood
as Mic
Dweezil Zappa
as Stevie
Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, written by Stephen King and Steven E. de Souza, produced by Tim Zinnemann and George Linder.
Average viewer score of 6.5/10 from 2,964 ratings.
I'm not into politics. I'm into survival. The Running Man is directed by Paul Michael Glaser and adapted from the Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) story by Steven E. de Souza. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland van Lidth, Marvin J. McIntyre, Gus Rethwisch, Professor Toru Tanaka and Mick Fleetwood. Music is by Harold Faltermeyer and…
Reviewed on August 7, 2016
“Richards” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has always had trouble with authority. Usually, that’s because he doesn’t like carrying out arbitrary orders in his newly militarised USA. When he finally finds himself on the wrong side of the law, his options are reduced to participation in the ultimate game show. He can win his freedom and a life of luxury if he’s the last man standing, but along the way he is going to play…
Reviewed on November 16, 2025
OK, it wasn't like the novel.... the Novel was sort of Network turned into an action movie with a scrawny lead... and this missed the mark and went more into straight Science Fiction Action, but it's still really fun to watch and still has some of the satirical edge to it. Which puts it above the remake which dropped satire altogether, and just made the movie into a nonstop lecture about how the Democrat Party and…
Reviewed on June 6, 2026
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The Running Man (1987) is available to stream on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel and Starz Apple TV channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home and Plex. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Running Man (1987) includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson, María Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto and Jim Brown. The film was directed by Paul Michael Glaser. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Running Man was released on November 13, 1987 and runs for 1h 41m.
The Running Man (1987) holds an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from 2,964 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy action, thriller and science fiction films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Running Man trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
