Bobby Thompson quotes from The Running Man (2025)

HUNT. HIM. DOWN!

Hunt him down!

You have successfully yielded. Nice!

Oh, hey, Richards. You've been pulled over by the Rustic Rock Mulisha Boyz. We're here to secure our homestead in the name of the network!

Don't worry, lady! We're the good guys! Just step out of the car. You'll be safe with us. It's him we want. :Ben Richards: Just go. [The Running Man camera ball opens automatic fire on the two militia men and destroys their truck]

Amelia Williams

What the **** is happening?!

Ben Richards

The producers just killed Network Mulisha instead of me.

Amelia Williams

They wouldn't do that! All those men were just trying to protect me from you!

Ben Richards

What is it going to take for you to get... I'm not the bad guy! [Slams revolver on dashboard with Amelia grabbing it and pointing it at Ben]

Amelia Williams

Take the car! Just drive away! I don't want to hurt you!

Ben Richards

You think they're going to let you walk after seeing that? You're on the show now.

Amelia Williams

No, I'm not!

Richards lives. And this time, he's got a hostage. Amelia Williams, a 27-year-old realtor from Bangor, Maine. [Faked overhead footage of Amelia waving from vehicle window]

Amelia Williams

Help me! He's got a gun!

Ben Richards

Welcome to the Running Man.

Amelia Williams

Help me, please!

The crisis continues as Miss Williams Gray Alpine heads north on Rustic Rock Siding Road. The hostage situation has triggered the NCG to go into full tactical alert.

Amelia Williams

Turn it off!

Miss Williams was carjacked and kidnapped by- [Ben complies]

Amelia Williams

Unbelievable.

Ben Richards

Yeah, it's a circus, all right.

Amelia Williams

So they're just going to keep filming us?

Ben Richards

If a runner gets good ratings, they let him run.

Amelia Williams

Oh, God. Is that a blockade?

Ben Richards

Oh, shit. All right. If we play our parts, they'll let us pass.

Amelia Williams

Oh, shit, shit, shit.

Ben Richards

Okay. Just keep driving. We're not going to shoot.

Amelia Williams

How do you know?

Ben Richards

Because they're going to wait for the show to start. Do it live.

Amelia Williams

Do what live?

Ben Richards

Kill me.

Amelia Williams

They're waving us through. Why are they turning for you when I'm the hostage? Unbelievable.

Ben Richards

Amelia? Can you give me the gun?

Amelia Williams

Why not? You're obviously the hero.

Ben Richards

Trust me. I don't think we're going to need this anymore. [Throws gun out window]

Record and report. State your claim.

Fake Ben Richards

Oh, my God. I just saw Ben Richards. I'm sorry. Wait. I am Ben Richards. And if you don't want to be the reason Amelia dies... get this message to Killian.

Fake Amelia Williams

Do what he says please.

Fake Ben Richards

You heard the lady.

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!

Amelia Williams

I'm sorry they did this to you!

Ben Richards

I did it to myself.

Amelia Williams

It's a sign! I'm not supposed to... [gets sucked out door, to camera ball] Stop **** filming me! Assholes!

Richards lives, ladies and gentlemen! Keep going kid! You've got this! Ben Richards, you are the man! We have command of the jet! Our best trauma surgeons are already on the tarmac, ready to patch you up as good as new. [Holds finger to commmlink] But wait. Making his Free-Vee debut with a special message. The creator of Running Man, super producer, Dan Killian!

Dan Killian

Mr. Richards, we here at the network believe you embody the raw strength and salt-of-the-earth moral backbone this country stands for. And we want... No. We need to see more.

This summer, Ben Richards is... Hunter 6!

Dan Killian

Congratulations, Ben. [Holds up and parts both spread hands] And welcome to the network family!

Ben Richards

I already got a family. Did you kill them or not, Dan? [Screen blacks out]

**** you Dan!

Give it up for Dan Killian! Come on. We're live. How many times do you get to tell two billion people how you really feel? How does it feel to be a hero, Ben?

Ben Richards

Nothing I've done on this show makes me a hero. I tried to be a hero once. And they blacklisted my ass. My daughter got sick. This is the only job I could get. Seems like the whole point of Free-Vee is to make us hate each other. So they can keep stealing from us. While we fight in the mud. You want the truth. Turn it off. We are all being **** by the network. Find out who really runs it. Record. Report them. Get their names. You just met one of them. Dan Killian. You remember that face. Don't watch Free-Ve. Watch who pays for it. Turn it off.

Dan Killian

Great speech. Too bad I'm the only one who saw it. We've been on an ad break since you said nothing you did on the show made you a hero. You think it was worth it? You think your little rant makes you a martyr? We're going live again in 30. And this time you'll play your part. Because if not, we're gonna run this instead. [Plays faked clip]

Fake Ben Richards

I told you I was gonna burn this building down and everyone in it!

Ben Richards

That was fast.

Dan Killian

Work with me, Richards. Don't throw your life away. Don't make me fly that jet into the network building. They'll blow you out of the sky.

Ben Richards

Are they dead or alive, Dan?

Dan Killian

Who?

Ben Richards

My family.

Dan Killian

Who cares? If I told you they were alive, would you even believe me? We are alive in five, four, [Ben holds up three finger in countdown sync] three, two, [Ben displays middle finger] one. [Does a hand sweep] Okay, have it your way.

Fake Ben Richards

I told you I was gonna burn this building down and everyone in it! I will see you in hell and laugh in your face!

Fake Ben Richards

Ben, are you insane? There's 5,000 innocent people in this building.

Remote pilot engaged.

Dan Killian

Look at what you've done. You happy?

Ben Richards

I told you I was gonna **** you up.

Dan Killian

Yeah.

Warning. Collision alert.

Missile inbound. Missile inbound. [Missile implodes plane]

Goddamn, Richards! You are indeed a tough act to follow. [Turns and walks]

Dan Killian

Where do you think you're going?

You don't hear that? I'd say that's invaluable. Valuable audience feedback, Dan.

Dan Killian

No, no, no, no, no. You get back out there and you do your job.

How about you do my job? [Hands microphone to Dan and walks]

Dan Killian

Hey, we've been crushing the ratings for twenty years. I own that audience. You don't think I can turn this around?

You're the one who wanted to make him a star, Dan. Mission accomplished. It's his show now. [Turns and two security men aims their guns at Bobby]

Dan Killian

You think he can just walk?

Sweeties, please. [Turns to Dan] Take another look at my contract. Page 42, paragraph 6. There's a special clause. And the smallest of clauses. The print that reads, **** YOU!

Ten seconds!

Ten seconds, Dan. [Walks away between security men] Coco, come on, let's go.

Dan Killian

You know what? **** that! This is my house! I set the rules! Max the theme, drown them out! [Walks onto stage only to realize out-of-control unruliness of fire-bombing audience and Ben emerges with a gun from audience]

Ben Richards

In five, four...

Dan Killian

No.

Ben Richards

Three.

Dan Killian

No.

Ben Richards

Two, one. And action. [Ben shoots at Dan]