History Trivia / Runaway

* LifeImitatesArt: While things like tracking bullets and killer robots are still fictional or in development stages, the movie did predict the increased usage of drones and tablet computers.
* MethodActing: To help Luthers performance come off more unnerving and realistic, Michael Crichton refused to show Gene Simmons any of the script until the days of shooting, and even told him not to speak with his acting coach about the film. Reportedly it worked so well that when Simmons was doing a quick practice of a scene, a security guard on set got so spooked out that he thought Simmons was some random troublemaker that needed to be kicked out.

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[Creator/TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[Creator/MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 (or at least ''a'' major one, as the same ''month'' it opened so did ''Film/{{Starman}}'', ''Film/Dune1984'', and ''Film/2010TheYearWeMakeContact'') and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[Film/TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theatre experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning'').

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[Creator/TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[Creator/MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 (or at least ''a'' major one, as the same ''month'' it opened so did ''Film/{{Starman}}'', ''Film/Dune1984'', and ''Film/2010'') and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[Film/TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theatre experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning'').

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[Creator/TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[Creator/MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[Film/TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theatre experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning'').

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $8 million, Box office: $6,770,587

* StarDerailingRole: After gaining notice for her supporting roles in the '80s dancing films ''Film/{{Flashdance}}'' and ''Staying Alive'' (the sequel to ''Film/SaturdayNightFever''), professional dancer Creator/CynthiaRhodes was cast as the co-star of this film in her first lead role. Unfortunately for her, this film's underperfomance meant that a career as a leading actress wasn't meant to be for her. After another supporting role in another famous '80s dancing film, ''Film/DirtyDancing'', she retired from acting a few years later. This also had the added effect of making ''Runaway'' an CreatorsOddball: This is the only film of Creator/CynthiaRhodes, a professional dancer who had featured supporting roles in '80s films about dancing (''Film/{{Flashdance}}'', the ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' sequel ''Staying Alive'', and after this film, ''Film/DirtyDancing'') that didn't require her dancing skills.

* StarDerailingRole: After gaining notice for her supporting roles in the '80s dancing films ''Film/{{Flashdance}}'' and ''Staying Alive'' (the sequel to ''Film/SaturdayNightFever''), professional dancer Creator/CynthiaRhodes was cast as the co-star of this film in her first lead role. Unfortunately for her, this film's underperfomance meant that a career as a leading actress wasn't meant to be for her. After another supporting role in another famous '80s dancing film, ''Film/DirtyDancing'', she retired from acting a few years later. This also had the added effect of making ''Runaway'' an oddball in her career, as it is her only film that didn't require her dancing skills.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/KirstieAlley plays the DamselInDistress.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Computers are hardware rather than software-oriented; the MacGuffin is a set of phototemplates used to mass-produce microprocessors, when circa-2015 you'd expect a thumb drive. Luther uses a mobile phone so he can't be traced, and the police are stymied rather than triangulating him via cell towers. Ironically the EverythingIsOnline trope is averted because of this, with Luther having to enter the police station to break into their computers, though he does tap (not 'hack') into the CCTV cameras.

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[Creator/MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theater experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning'').

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theater experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''Film/PiranhaPartTwoTheSpawning'').

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theater experience, and written/directed by [[Creator/JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''[[{{Piranha}} Piranha II]]'').

* DuelingMovies: With a multi-million dollar budget, [[TomSelleck one of the biggest actors at the time]] and written/directed by [[MichaelCrichton a science-fiction legend]], this film was projected to be the major sci-fi film of late 1984 and the definitive "[[AIIsACrapshoot Renegade Robot]]" movie. Instead, it got overshadowed by a [[TheTerminator B-movie about a robot assassin]] played by [[Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger an Austrian bodybuilder who barely spoke English]], co-starring alongside actors who only had theater experience, and written/directed by [[JamesCameron an unknown]] (whose last film credit was ''[[{{Piranha}} Piranha II]]'').