How the film "The Running Man" was filmed (18 photos)

The dystopian action film "The Running Man," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was released back in 1987, but it became a hit in our country around the early 1990s. "The Running Man" stood out from other action films, as it was a very unusual but incredibly engaging film about a deadly game, something rare at the time.





Now I'd like to recall a few interesting facts about this film, which many still consider a cult classic.

1. An Unexpected Author

The plot for the film wasn't devised from scratch. "The Running Man" is based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. However, he published the book under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. He often published books under this pseudonym, as he wanted to differentiate his usual horror works from other works. This allowed him to publish many more books per year.



Yes, King wrote more than just horror, and this is clearly evident in his other works. For example, "The Shawshank Redemption," based on his novella, has long been considered one of the most powerful film adaptations ever.





But the book and the film are very different. King himself later said that he wrote a dark story, while the film turned out more like a spectacular show.

But the most interesting thing is that producer Rob Cohen didn't even immediately realize whose book he'd bought. Yes, he once simply bought a book by some unknown Richard Bachman, and he liked it so much that he decided to adapt it, acquiring the rights. And when Rob acquired the film rights, he didn't even know he was buying the rights to a book by the famous horror master Stephen King.

2. The idea for the game in the film didn't just come out of nowhere

King didn't just come up with the game show in the film. He was inspired by a real Japanese TV show from the 1980s, "Trans-American Ultra Quiz."

The gist of the show was that players experienced real pain, and sometimes even humiliation, for the amusement of the audience. However, they had a choice. They could leave the show with nothing, or continue to the end in hopes of winning a cash prize.

3. Director Change

The script for "The Running Man" was changed several times, which is why it differs so greatly from the book. Several directors were chosen during this time. George Cosmatos, who had previously directed "Rambo II," was even initially considered for the role. But because he began making numerous demands to ensure his every wish was met, producer Rob Cohen dropped him.



As a result, television and series director Paul Michael Glaser was quickly appointed director.

Such things are not uncommon in Hollywood, but in the case of this film, the path to the screen was particularly difficult.

4. Actors for the Leading Role

Among the candidates for the lead role were Christopher Reeve, Patrick Swayze, and the renowned Dolph Lundgren, who had already achieved fame for his role as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. But in the end, the role went, of course, to our beloved "Iron" Arnie, whose portrayal of the "Terminator" everyone was absolutely enamored of.



Stephen King himself wasn't happy with the choice. In the book, the hero was completely different, an ordinary man and a loser who went to gamble to save his daughter. But here we have a real "mountain of muscle."

Because of this, King even demanded that his real name be removed from the credits and posters. So, the only thing left in the credits is "based on Richard Bachman's novel The Running Man."

5. Is Killian a real presenter?

Remember that charismatic presenter Damon Killian, played by Richard Dawson? He's not just an actor. He was a real TV presenter in his day. He was the creator of the show "Family Feud," the idea of ​​which was later borrowed by our TV people to create the show "100 to 1."



Richard Dawson hosted this show from its very beginning (1976) until its first cancellation in 1985. The show was later revived, but without Dawson. However, many noted that Dawson's behavior in the film was similar to his behavior during his time hosting "Family Feud." After "The Running Man," Dawson never appeared in any other roles.



6. The film contains references to Schwarzenegger's other works.

At the beginning of the film, Arnold's character carries a huge beam over his shoulder. This is a clear reference to "Commando," where Schwarzenegger also appeared in a similar shot carrying a log over his shoulder.



And that's not the only such detail. Before the game begins, the character says, "I'll be back." It's not hard to guess that this is a reference to the first "Terminator," which was released three years earlier.



7. Arnie's Sweatshirt

After escaping from prison, Schwarzenegger's character wears a sweatshirt with the words "World's Gym" written on it. Do you think it's a coincidence? Not at all. It was the brainchild of the cunning Arnie, who at the time owned the "World's Gym" chain of fitness clubs.



8. One of the actors didn't live to see the premiere

Actor Erland van Lidt, who played the hunter Dynamo, died two months before the film's release. He was only 34 years old.



9. "The Running Man" and "Mortal Kombat"

Surely many of you know the popular game and film series "Mortal Kombat." And, of course, each of you remembers the same blue masked Freezer, nicknamed "Sub-Zero."



And this name appeared thanks to the film "The Running Man." That's the name of one of the hunters in the film, who skated around in hockey gear. The creators of Mortal Kombat really liked the nickname "Sub Zero" and decided to use it for their freezing character. The only difference is that in The Running Man, the nickname is spelled without a hyphen.



10. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura

The film was released in 1987, the same year as Predator.

In both films, Schwarzenegger starred alongside Jesse Ventura, who was still just a budding actor at the time.



Interestingly, Ventura later became governor of Minnesota, while Schwarzenegger himself became governor of California.



Actor Sonny Landham, who played Billy in "Predator," also wanted to follow in his colleagues' footsteps and become governor of Kentucky, but ultimately didn't.

By the way, "Iron" Arnie himself rode a bus with the words "Running Man" written on it when he ran for governor in 2003.

11. The film led to a whole TV show.

It was thanks to "The Running Man" that the TV show "Gladiators" later emerged, becoming popular around the world.

Essentially, it was a show where ordinary people competed against professional athletes. It was also well-remembered in our country, and it was largely through it that many first became acquainted with Vladimir Turchinsky.

12. It was a critical success, but not a popular one in the US.

Many critics called "The Running Man" one of Schwarzenegger's best films since "Terminator." But the film didn't enjoy much success at the US box office.



With a budget of $27 million, the film grossed only $38 million. For such a project, this was a rather modest result. To break even, the film needed to gross at least $54 million. However, this was all offset by video sales.

13. Where the Main Scenes Were Filmed

Most of the soundstage scenes were filmed in an abandoned steel mill. Before work could begin there, the space had to be renovated for almost seven months, requiring a considerable investment. However, the filming itself took only two months.



14. A Sequel Was Never Made

In 2014, Schwarzenegger already talked about a possible second part, but it never went beyond talk. And perhaps rightly so. Personally, I don't really like it when filmmakers release sequels with the same aged actors just to get audiences to rush to the theaters.

15. A Game Based on the Movie

At the time, games based on films were often released on various platforms, and The Running Man was no exception. True, the game was only released in arcades and didn't achieve much popularity.



The gameplay involved running around and fighting dogs and gladiators.

Well, that's all there is to it. Or am I missing something?