Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Running Man novelThe Running Man may have a horrifying ending that will be completely unexpected for anyone who hasn’t read the original Stephen King novel. The upcoming Running Man movie will be the second adaptation of King’s 1982 novel. In 1987, an adaptation of The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was released, but barely followed King’s story.

Therefore, fans have wanted a new adaptation of the dystopian novel for years. Luckily, based on the trailer for The Running Man, it seems like the upcoming movie will be much more faithful to the original book. In the movie, Glen Powell will play Ben Richards, who risks his life competing in a compeтιтion show to earn money for his family.

In addition to Powell, the cast of The Running Man includes Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, and Jayme Lawson. This cast and the fact that it is directed by Edgar Wright suggests that the movie will be an extremely entertaining watch. However, one moment in the trailer suggests that The Running Man may have a terrifying ending that could make audiences uncomfortable.

What Happens At The End Of Stephen King’s The Running Man

The Running Man Book Has An Explosive Ending

By the end of The Running Man novel, Ben Richards has broken a record and survived longer than any other compeтιтor in the show’s history. However, after taking a young woman named Amelia Williams as a hostage, he is practically cornered by the police and the lead Hunter, Evan McCone. To get himself out of this situation, Ben bluffs that he has a dangerous explosive and forces McCone to get him onto a plane.

Once on the plane, Ben talks with Dan Killian, The Running Man’s executive producer, on the phone, who calls his bluff about the explosive. Killian informs Ben that his wife and daughter died days ago and, impressed by his performance, offers him the chance to replace McCone as the new lead Hunter. Ben initially accepts this offer, but ends up killing McCone and the crew of the plane.

During this fight, Ben gets sH๏τ in the stomach and is gravely injured. He allows Amelia to jump from the plane with a parachute before making his way to the pilot’s seat. In the final moments of the book, Ben turns off the autopilot and flies the plane into the skyscraper which serves as the headquarters for the Games Network, which airs The Running Man. This kills Ben, Killian, and presumably countless others since the crash causes a lot of destruction in Co-Op City.

The Running Man’s Trailer Teases The Book’s Ending – But Will It Really Use It?

The Running Man Adapting The Book’s Ending Could Be Controversial

Since the 1987 Running Man movie doesn’t faithfully adapt King’s novel, it has a much happier ending than the book. However, the trailer for the new adaptation shows Ben Richards fighting several crew members in the cockpit of a plane, which suggests that it will indeed feature the same ending as the novel.

This is honestly shocking, since this potential ending could be traumatizing for a lot of people in a post-9/11 world. Since the events of 9/11 affected so many people, I did not expect the new Running Man movie to include the plane crash scene which brings utter destruction to Co-Op City.

Even though this fight scene is featured in the trailer, it’s still possible that the movie will have a different ending than the book. Perhaps Ben will land the plane somewhere else or parachute out of it with Amelia. At this point, it’s hard to tell how The Running Man will end, but it will be interesting to see how it is received if it does faithfully adapt the final moments of King’s novel.