Edgar Wright’s 2025 adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Running Man” delivers a heart-pounding finale that leaves audiences questioning Ben Richards’ fate. Unlike the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version, this remake stays faithful to King’s dystopian vision while adding a glimmer of hope. Here’s everything you need to know about that explosive ending.
Table of Contents
The Running Man: Key Plot Details at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | November 14, 2025 |
| Director | Edgar Wright |
| Lead Actor | Glen Powell (Ben Richards) |
| Supporting Cast | Josh Brolin (Dan Killian), Lee Pace (Evan McCone), Emilia Jones (Amelia Williams) |
| Runtime | Approximately 116 minutes |
| Genre | Dystopian Thriller / Action |
| Source Material | Stephen King novel (1982) |
| Setting | Dystopian America, 2025 |
What Happens to Ben Richards in the Final Act?
The climactic sequence unfolds aboard a plane where Ben Richards threatens Dan Killian and Evan McCone by pretending Amelia’s purse contains explosives. When his bluff gets called, Killian presents a devastating revelation: the Hunters allegedly murdered Ben’s wife Sheila and daughter Cathy. He offers Ben a twisted deal—slaughter the remaining Hunters for revenge and become the star of a new FreeVee show called “Hunter 6.”
But Ben Richards refuses to play by the corrupt system’s rules. Instead of accepting Killian’s offer, Richards chooses to speak his mind to what he believes are live FreeVee audiences. Unfortunately, Killian reveals the broadcast had already cut to commercials, meaning nobody heard Ben’s truth-telling monologue.
In retaliation, Killian steers the plane directly into the FreeVee tower, hoping to frame Richards as an insane terrorist. The plane explodes in spectacular fashion, seemingly killing everyone aboard—including Ben Richards.
The Shocking Survival Reveal
Here’s where Wright diverges brilliantly from King’s darker novel. An epilogue video from the Apostle (Daniel Ezra) reveals that Richards survived using an escape pod at the last minute. The evidence? Footage showing suspicious debris flying from the explosion that resembles an escape pod.
Bradley’s illicit TV show breaks down the final episode, pointing out FreeVee’s early commercial cut and use of old audience footage, suggesting the network was hiding something. The film confirms Ben’s survival in a touching grocery store reunion scene where Sheila spots a hooded man standing in front of “Richards Lives!” graffiti, and they embrace.
Turns out, Killian lied about Ben’s family being murdered—they’re alive and well. The final moments show Ben leading an outraged crowd sporting “Richards Lives!” signs to storm the FreeVee studio, approaching Killian with a gun before the screen cuts to black.
How the Movie Differs from Stephen King’s Novel
The novel takes a significantly grimmer approach. In King’s original text, Ben suffers a mortal gunshot wound from McCone, uses his last strength to reprogram the autopilot, and crashes the plane into the Games Network tower himself, killing both Richards and Killian. His wife and daughter are actually dead in the book.
Wright’s adaptation preserves the revolutionary spirit while allowing Ben Richards his heroic moment. By surviving and reuniting with his family before leading the raid on Killian’s building, Richards becomes both a symbol and his own person—something the novel’s martyrdom didn’t permit.
Stephen King himself gave the new ending his blessing, with Wright revealing that King “really liked the adaptation and really liked what we’d done with the ending”, especially given his reservations about the wildly different 1987 film.
The Meaning Behind “Richards Lives”
Throughout the film, “Richards Lives” becomes a revolutionary mantra spurring on a full revolution. Even when the public believes Ben died in the plane explosion, his legacy inspires the oppressed masses to fight back against the authoritarian FreeVee network and corrupt government.
Amelia Williams plays a crucial role here. After witnessing FreeVee create deepfake footage and experiencing the truth firsthand, she disseminates copies of recordings revealing accurate facts about Richards and Killian’s manipulation. Her transformation from complacent wealthy citizen to revolutionary ally represents the awakening of the middle class—proving that when people unite, no corrupt system can withstand them.
For more insights on dystopian cinema and revolutionary storytelling, check out our complete guide to sci-fi thrillers at TechnoSports.
Evan McCone: The Dark Mirror of Ben Richards
McCone is revealed to be a former Running Man contestant who survived 29 days before accepting Killian’s offer to become a Hunter. He represents everything Ben refuses to become—someone who fought the oppressive system but sold out for power and celebrity status once given the opportunity.
The contrast between these two former contestants drives home the film’s central theme: will you maintain your principles when offered comfort, or will you become part of the machine you once fought against? Ben’s refusal of Killian’s offer, even when believing his family was murdered, proves his incorruptible nature.
Visit Paramount Pictures’ official Running Man page for more behind-the-scenes content and exclusive interviews with the cast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Ben Richards actually die in the 2025 Running Man movie?
A: No, Ben Richards survives the plane explosion. While the film initially suggests he died when Killian crashes the plane into the FreeVee tower, an epilogue reveals Ben escaped using the cockpit’s security system and ejection pod moments before impact. The survival is confirmed when he reunites with his wife Sheila and daughter outside a grocery store, then leads a revolutionary mob to confront Dan Killian at the FreeVee studio. This differs significantly from Stephen King’s original novel where Ben does die from gunshot wounds after crashing the plane himself. Edgar Wright’s adaptation gives Ben both symbolic martyrdom through “Richards Lives” propaganda and an actual happy ending—having his cake and eating it too.
Q: What’s the difference between the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger Running Man and the 2025 version?
A: The films are drastically different. The 1987 version loosely adapted King’s concept, transforming Ben Richards into a police captain hunted in a carved-out Los Angeles arena by theatrical villains with chainsaws and electricity. The 2025 Edgar Wright adaptation stays faithful to King’s novel, depicting Richards as an impoverished man forced into a nationwide manhunt televised by corrupt media networks. The newer film explores themes of media manipulation, class warfare, and totalitarian control that the ’80s action romp largely ignored. Wright’s version also features the RTX 50-series technology deepfakes and modern surveillance, making it uncomfortably relevant to today’s concerns about truth and propaganda. For comprehensive movie comparisons and reviews, explore our film analysis section at TechnoSports.
