Naturally, Edgar Wright’s rendition of “The Running Man” features an Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo. But how is it portrayed?

In this fresh adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel, Glen Powell plays Ben Richards, a man who participates in a lethal television program where he is hunted for amusement throughout America. This is not the first film interpretation of King’s work; Paul Michael Glaser’s 1987 version starring Schwarzenegger may be the most recognized.

So, how does Wright reference Powell’s character’s forerunner?

Although Schwarzenegger does not physically appear in “The Running Man” (2025), his visage is glimpsed early in the film. Within a state-run TV show, the Network displays Schwarzenegger’s image on currency, indicating his importance in this authoritarian U.S.

When Powell’s Richards watches television at home, he channels into “Speed the Wheel,” a game show where participants race in a massive hamster wheel while answering trivia questions like “who created pepperoni” or face execution. When $100 and $1,000 rewards are displayed, Schwarzenegger’s likeness is present on the bills.

It’s unclear whether Schwarzenegger’s Ben Richards would support his image on the currency of the oppressive regime he once escaped, but it appears nonetheless.

“The Running Man” premieres in theaters on Nov. 14.