Rollerball Is the Perfect Running Man Replacement

by

Stephen King’s 1982 sci-fi novel, The Running Man, paints a grim picture of a future dominated by powerful corporations. The story centers around a dangerous, televised game show – reminiscent of gladiatorial combat – designed to entertain a violent public and generate huge profits. It follows a man driven to participate in this deadly game in hopes of earning money for his ailing child. Beyond the action, the story offers a critique of corporate greed and America’s fascination with violence, serving as a cautionary tale like many dystopian stories from that time. The novel was first loosely adapted into a 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and more recently received a much more faithful adaptation by Edgar Wright earlier this year.

If you’re a fan of movies like The Running Man, you absolutely need to check out Rollerball. It came out in 1975, directed by Norman Jewison (who also did The Hurricane), and it’s based on a story by William Harrison. It stars James Caan and a great cast. While critics weren’t head-over-heels for it – these kinds of ‘one person against the system’ stories don’t always get the love they deserve – audiences really connected with it. It made a ton of money – over $30 million on a $6 million budget! There was a remake in 2002 with Chris Klein and LL Cool J, but honestly, it didn’t come close to the original.

Rollerball Rolled So The Running Man Could Run

The film Rollerball centers on Jonathan E., a star athlete who’s dominated his sport for a decade. In a future where corporations control American cities, the executives who run Jonathan’s league want him to retire so they can revamp their image. When he resists, they can’t simply eliminate him due to his popularity, so they begin making the game increasingly dangerous, hoping he’ll be injured or killed during a match.

The stories often explore how those in charge manipulate the system to benefit themselves, with no concern for the consequences to others. For example, in The Running Man, the villain Killian will even eliminate his own staff to give the protagonist more opportunities, simply to boost the show’s popularity. This highlights a harsh truth: when it comes to corporate profit, human life has no value.

Both movies explore how powerful companies can use their wealth to control what the public sees and tries to discredit anyone who opposes them. This tactic was particularly evident in the 1970s, with propaganda spreading through American news outlets. Although flawed, the main characters in both films use their influence to fight against oppressive forces, offering a hopeful vision of a future where ordinary people can triumph.

Rollerball Continues to Inspire Dystopian Sci-Fi Movies and TV Shows Today

The film Rollerball is probably the earliest and most influential example of a movie using violent games as a way to both control and rebel against a harsh, authoritarian government. Its popularity in the 1970s inspired a few similar films, including Death Race 2000, The Blood of Heroes, and Arena.

Even after five decades, the film continues to influence science fiction movies today, including titles like Real Steel and Gamer. The Hunger Games—which began as a trilogy of books by Suzanne Collins—has been particularly successful, expanding into additional novels and a hugely popular movie series with billions of dollars in revenue, and clearly draws many parallels from the story of Rollerball.

Subscribe for the newsletter: deep dives into dystopian sci‑fi

Subscribe for the newsletter: deep dives into dystopian sci‑fi

When you sign up, you’ll receive newsletters and promotional emails from us and agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can opt out of these emails at any time.

The popular FX and Hulu series explores a world entirely governed by five powerful corporations constantly battling for control of Earth and even the moon. While it doesn’t feature a violent sports competition like some other stories, it effectively demonstrates how little value the wealthy place on human life.

Rollerball is available to stream for free on Tubi.

Read More

2025-12-28 05:06