Hunter leader Evan McCone quotes from The Running Man (2025)

Hunter leader Evan McCone

They say you run to add life to your days. Not days to your life. I'd say both are pretty **** true.

Hunter leader Evan McCone

Hey runners. You can't outrun fate. And you cannot hide... from fate. Feeling realiosa. Viewer discretion is advised.

Live update! Let's go! Our hunters are hard at work near a Co-op City Netmart where Mr. Jansky is flirting with the clerk that just reported him. Let's find out if he's also flirting with death.

Do you watch the Running Man?

Uh... I guess.

I heard there's this guy on there who kinda looks like me and he's really hot or something, I don't... I don't know.

I don't know.

I'm gonna come back in a little bit and I'm gonna try and ask you out again.

Yeah?

Ben Richards

Jesus, Tim.

And that's Jansky stepping out with his breakfast burrito.

Evan McCone

Green light on Jansky.

Will it be his final meal? [Hunters disguised as construction workers start moving in on Timothy]

Ben Richards

Come on.

The fuse has been lit. It's just a matter of time.

Ben Richards

Get out of there, buddy.

Better eat up, Tim. Enjoy those last bites before it's last rights.

Ben Richards

Move, move! You're walking! It's the **** running man!

Here we go.

Oh, man. [Timothy is shot point blank in the head]

Bang!

Ben Richards

God.

And Jansky crosses the finish line! That's one down and two to go! Watch tonight at 8 to see if Jenny Laughlin and Ben Richards are still on the run! How long do they have left?! Tune in and find out!

Ben Richards

I got a grenade! [Throws it down hall to Evan]

Evan McCone

Back at'cha. [Kicks it back into elevator, Ben catches it and throws it up where it detonates]

Ben Richards

You know, my kid was sick. I sent my wife enough to get her well. Now I'm trying to win enough to get them out. She's only two. So if I do my job, she'll never even remember Slumside.

Bradley Throckmorton

Okay, Richards. I can get you past that blockade. But I'm gonna need a couple days to set it up. So hide out here in the meantime. You know, you could go to full 30 if you play smart.

Ben Richards

And what makes you such an expert?

Bradley Throckmorton

Tune in and find out. [Leads Ben to media room] Welcome to the pulpit. [Inserts and plays a tape]

What goes on behind the scenes of the biggest Free-Vee show of all time? Welcome to The Apostle. Episode 30, Real Rules of the Running Man. If you dig, dupe, and distribute. The network has three types for every run. Type 1, Hopeless Dude.

Oh my God.

Hopeless Dude is cursed with a fatal misunderstanding of human nature. He usually lasts less than 48 hours.

Come and get me. Dinner is served, pal. [At door] Oh, damn. [Gets shot by the Hunters]

Pa-pow! That's a takeout!

Ben Richards

Woof.

Oh! He is cooked!

Type 2, Negative Dude. Negative Dude knows he ain't got a chance in hell. He just wants to go out with a bang or two.

Make life greater. Leave a **** crater.

Bro gets smoked by the end of week one cause he buys too much ass and not enough food with his running start. [Negative Dude is cornered by the Hunters in strip club parking lot] A slave to his appetites, he often serves himself up on a plate.

Suck dicks in hell! [Detonates suicide bomb vest]

Final Dude. Final Dude has a fierce will to survive. Yet, he never wins. The network cheats. They can't find anyone anytime. But, if a runner's getting good ratings, let him run. 13 days.

And just like Papa always said, you can try, but you can't catch a ghost.

Oh shit.

The crowd wants blood, and Final Dude becomes a victim of his own success. They might hide from destiny, but they never outrun fate. [Final Dude is finished off in a lumber mill and is ground up in wood chipper]

That's me, McCone! I'm the Running Man! Bi-

Double kill! Rest in pieces!

Evan McCone

That's game.

Ben Richards

Whew. Is that supposed to inspire me?

Bradley Throckmorton

Oh, come on, man! Don't you get it? After that escape tonight, live, prime time, you... you are... [rewinds tape to shot of Final Dude and points to Ben] Final Dude. And they're gonna squeeze every last drop of ratings out of your ass, so you got at least until Negative Dude flames out to get somewhere safe. Which gives us enough time to set you up for the biggest underdog win in game show history.

Ben Richards

So where the hell's safe?

Bradley Throckmorton

I'm working on it.

Ben Richards

Before you murder us, make up some bullshit why it had to be done. Look at all these people who know, the truth. Are you willing to kill all of them? Because I am. I'm holding on to this bullhorn with my right hand. My left hand is in my front pouch, wrapped around 12 pounds of black Irish. [Supporters get spooked] When I used to work at Network Public Utility, you get these two ton fatbergs, take less than a gram to blow those up. Twelve pounds. It'll vaporize everything in a half mile radius. [Supporters all turn running]

Evan McCone

Bullshit. BFE 20 is the most highly regulated industrial explosive and you haven't even set foot in a state that sells it.

Ben Richards

Guess Molie didn't tell you everything. I got my finger stuck in the detonator ring and it's on half ****. [Evan hands bullhorn to subordinate] So, I want one of those big fancy flying V airplanes. [Evan takes off sunglasses] I want two auto shoots handed to Amelia at the bottom of the ramp. If the shoots are sabotaged, if you make any sudden moves, [Evan cleans sunglasses with shirt] if you don't back those trucks up and let me on that tarmac right **** now, you won't even hear it go boom. I'll just see you in hell and let you laugh in your face. You got one minute. [Throws bullhorn on ground and closes vehicle door] Shouldn't take long. He's got a direct line to the boss. Last chance to run.

Amelia Williams

No. You made me feel like I'm the bad guy. Now I have to prove I'm not.

Ben Richards

Why don't you give a shit what I think?

Amelia Williams

You're not the one I'm trying to prove it to. So what's our plan?

Evan McCone

Let him through.

Ben Richards

I'm gonna convince them your handbag is a bomb long enough to bail out over Canada. They'll never let me win, so I'm gonna slip out the back door and wait out the clock. We just have to keep the audience entertained until that jet crosses the border.

Amelia Williams

What if they call your bluff?

Ben Richards

You make sure they know it's real. Get scared, freak out. Curse, scream. Call me the worst names possible. Just remember, everything bad, it's all good Free-Vee. Act terrified when McCone hands you the chutes.

Amelia Williams

I won't have to act.

Ben Richards

He grabs his gun, you'll know it's time to go off. [Amelia boards plane] So, you think you're the guy who stops me from seeing my daughter again?

Evan McCone

Show starts at eight. Get on the plane.

Ben Richards

Only if you take your mask off. Audience will love it.

Evan McCone

Keep dreaming.

Dan Killian

Do what he says.

Evan McCone

No copy.

Dan Killian

Do what he says. [He complies and Ben boards plane]

The seatbelt sign is now off. Feel free to move about the cabin.

Evan McCone

Hey Richards, six minutes to showtime. You should get that last meal before they clear me to blow your head off in front of a couple billion people.

Ben Richards

Oh yeah? You know, you should really put some makeup on before the show starts.

Evan McCone

**** the show! Let's go!

Ben Richards

You want to go? We can all go right now!

Amelia Williams

No, no, no! Just stop!

Ben Richards

Do it! Do it, tough guy!

Amelia Williams

Why are you doing this?!

Ben Richards

See if I twitch!

Amelia Williams

Show him the bomb! Show it to him before he shoots you and kills us all!

Evan McCone

Ma'am.

Amelia Williams

No, just show it! [Evan pulls her away] 'Cause I don't want to feel like this anymore! Do you **** hear me?! I'm done!

Evan McCone

Let's calm down.

Amelia Williams

I'm **** done! [Evan seats her]

Evan McCone

Alright Richards, what if I offer you an amnesty deal and an exit visa?

Ben Richards

You're nothing but a Halloween costume. You can't offer me shit!

Dan Killian

Too true, Mr. Richards. He can't. But I can.

Ben Richards

How about I offer you a deal? You tell your hunters in the cockpit to do what I tell them. Otherwise... I blow up this jet and everyone on it!

Dan Killian

Ben, I admire your commitment to the bet but we're short on time so... I'll be blunt. We know you're bluffing. The Flying V Mark II has scanners built into the doors. It's been wildly entertaining. But you can give Amelia her lovely handbag back now. [Evan laughs, Ben sits and takes out Amelia's bag, throws it on ground and Evan walks up to Ben with gun drawn] Evan? Evan, don't.

Evan McCone

That's game.

Safety of that weapon, sir.

Dan Killian

Evan, are you insane? The show hasn't even started. Hand over your gun and go to the back of the jet. [Evan hands over gun to pilot] Thank you. [Evan walks to back] You can remain there until I say otherwise. I need a moment to have a word with Mr. Richards. To discuss a sensitive matter. [Dan appears on screen near Ben] Let's keep this between us. You know, it wasn't too long ago that someone with my job thought it was more important to force some hypocritical moral message down society's throat than to simply entertain them. They forgot about the power of illusion, the power of the star, which is what you are, Richards. And this is why we want to offer you your own show. Now picture it. A former runner, redeemed through righteous vengeance, turns his life around to become a lethal force for good. They call him... The Hunter. The board has authorized me to pay you five million new dollars per season. There's only one condition. Sit back, watch the intro, and when Bobby cues you, kill every hunter on that jet. Conditions met, I'll remote pilot you back to the studio jet port where the president of the United States will induct you as hunter number six. [Waves hand] Another title idea I'm playing with. The data says the revenge plot... revenge.

Ben Richards

Revenge for what? Who is gonna root for a guy who kills your national heroes? [Dan squints eyes] I call bullshit, Dan. [Dan waves hand]

Dan Killian

Let me worry about the creative.

Ben Richards

No deal. The truth, then.

Dan Killian

Revenge for your wife and child.

Ben Richards

Why would I ever believe you?

Dan Killian

Because. If they were still alive, I'd hold them at gunpoint and force you to do whatever I want. And torture them right in front of you. I didn't want to show you this. But I'm out of time to save your life. [Screen shows footage of hit squad arriving at apartment door] The hunter you killed was part of a tight crew. McCone and the men in that cockpit flew to Co-Op City, to Sheila and Kathy's secret uptown location.

Ben Richards

No.

Dan Killian

They badged their way past the family alliance agents and... I'm sorry, Ben. Not all accidents are happy. [Hit squad opens fire into apartment and Ben screams primally hitting screen] We want you to win. The audience is already on your side. Once I show them footage of McCone and his men killing your family, they will follow you into hell. Think of what this does for your narrative. Thirty seconds to showtime, Ben. You'll find a gun by the coffee station in the galley. But if you don't sign before the theme music ends, I'll order the bastards that killed your family to kill you, too. [Ben grabs screen out of stand and smashes it on table]

Amelia Williams

What's happening?

Ben Richards

Tune in and find out.

Everyone, everyone. Please settle. Now, now. [To camera] We start today's episode with a heavy heart. We here at the Running Man believe in following the rules. So it pains me to tell you that one of our most important rules has been broken by the very men we entrust to enforce them. Chief McCone and his hunters. And that rule is... [holds up cue cards] we protect the Runner's family from harm. No one would play if we didn't. We thought it only fair to let Richards administer the penalty for this grave infraction. [First Officer Duninger gets gun] As we go live to Richards, we pray he has what it takes.

Hey, Richards. You making coffee?

Ben Richards

Yeah. How do you take it?! [Shoots Duninger and engages two other pilots in struggle for firearms, causing the plane to drop down]

Altitude alert. Remote pilot engaged. Disengaged. [Finishes off two pilots in free fall] Altitude alert. Remote pilot engaged.

And then... there was one. Three hunters down. But the deadliest among them is still somewhere on this jet.

Ben Richards

He took the other parachute. I couldn't stop him.

Ben Richards

Strap that on. Keep your head down.

The prey has become the predator. Evan cone is trapped. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Mr. Williams is checking all of the flying V's in executive toilets. It's four. The fuse has been lit. It's just a matter of time. Okay, here we go. The moment of truth.

Ben Richards

Six, bitch.

Uh-oh. That's gotta be disappointing. The tension is higher than ever Running fans. It all comes down to this.

Amelia Williams

Ben! [Evan hoists up Ben]

Whoa!

Amelia Williams

No!

Evan McCone

You wanna know who's stopping you from seeing your kid again? You! [Smacks Ben's head against a mirror shattering it.

That had to hurt! [Ben smashes Evan into a mirror]

Amelia Williams

No!

Oh, no. Richards has taken a savage blow!

Evan McCone

Shut the **** up Bobby! [To Ben, taking off sunglasses] If this is how they fire me, what do you think they'll do to you? Chump. You think you're the only Runner ever got offered a deal? You think surviving two weeks and change makes you big shit? [Pulls mirror shard out of left eye] Try 29 days. What's more likely? A: I killed your family. B: Killian sold you just the right lie to get a bloodbath season finale. Or C: you're too **** stupid to figure it out? [Picks up gun from floor] Take it from someone who took the deal to be a hunter instead of the hunted. The only time you'll ever see your family again is when they torture them in front of you. [Loads magazine in gun] **** with your head enough to make you wanna kill it all away.

Ben

You're full of shit. You're all full of shit.

Evan McCone

Truth is...? [Aims gun at Ben and Amelia gasps] ...I'm doing you a favor. [McCone shoots, but misses as the plane tips and the interior loses air pressure]

Cabin pressure compromised. Emergency doors disarmed.

Evan McCone

Hey, Killian! You think I need a gun to waste this loser?! [To Ben, who he pulls a knife on] You outran Fate. You can't hide from Destiny! This is my show now! [Ben activates McCone's parachute, pinning him against the wall of the plane. Ben stalks up to him] Do it, tough guy! See if I twitch!

Ben Richards

That's game!