The Running Man, one of the best action movies ever made, will soon be getting not only a fresh coat of paint, but pretty much an entire remodel, as Edgar Wright will soon bring the upcoming Stephen King adaptation to the big screen. With a cast that includes Glen Powell, a story that appears to be more faithful to the original novel (originally published under the Richard Bachman pseudonym), and Wright’s signature touch, this could be one of the best upcoming book-to-screen adaptations we see for a while.
Come with us as we break down everything we know about The Running Man, including its release date, massive cast, and so much more.
What Is The Running Man Release Date?
We’re not through the 2024 movie schedule yet, but we’re already looking forward to all those promising 2025 movies, including The Running Man, which is set to open in theaters on November 21, 2025. If this date sticks, Edgar Wright’s upcoming sci-fi movie will be competing against Wicked: Part Two, which is also set to open a week before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
What Is The Running Man About?
For those who have never read the book or watched the 1987 film based on it, The Running Man is set in a dystopian future where people participate, or survive a dangerous and deadly game show where they are pitted against powerful and oftentimes ridiculous “Hunters” (“Stalkers” in the movie) in what can best be described as a Stephen King version of American Gladiators.
When Deadline reported on Glen Powell’s casting in April 2024, the outlet described the novel as a chase thriller, which is admittedly a great description of the story, as so many of the memorable scenes are those where Ben Richards, the desperate protagonist, is running from the diabolical enemies.
The Running Man Cast
Glen Powell has been on a tear the past few years thanks to megahits like Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, and more recently, Twisters. And that will continue well into the immediate future, as Powell is also set to lead The Running Man. However, he isn’t alone, as some big-time talent is set to share the big screen with the on-the-rise Hollywood leading man.
Glen Powell as Ben Richards
Glen Powell will be taking on the role of Ben Richards, a desperate man who finds himself in a fight for survival after getting on a popular yet violent game show in The Running Man. Powell’s involvement was first announced in Paramount Pictures’ CinemaCon panel back in April 2024.
Josh Brolin
In October 2014, Deadline reported that Josh Brolin was joining the Running Man cast as one of the film’s villains, though his character’s name has yet to be announced. Brolin previously played Thanos in some of the best Marvel movies, a character that remains an all-time great big bad after all these years.
William H. Macy
William H. Macy will also be in The Running Man, as THR reported back in October 2024. His exact identity is not yet known, but Macy is set to play a man who assists Ben Richards on the run.
Katy O’Brian
In October 2024, Deadline reported that Kay O’Brian, who previously shared the screen with Powell in Twisters, was joining the cast as an unnamed contestant in The Running Man. O’Brian has also appeared on shows like The Walking Dead, The Mandalorian, and numerous others.
Daniel Ezra
In October 2024, Deadline reported that Daniel Ezra, of All-American fame, had joined the Running Man cast. His role has not yet been announced.
Karl Glusman
Fans of Karl Glusman’s work in movies like Bikeriders and Civil War will be happy to hear that the actor has landed a role in The Running Man, per Deadline. However, his character’s identity remains a mystery.
Michael Cera
In October 2024, THR reported that Michael Cera would be in The Running Man, which will serve as a Scott Pilgrim vs. the World reunion for the actor and Edgar Wright.
Lee Pace
According to Deadline, Lee Pace, best known for roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and Bodies Bodies Bodies, will be showing up in The Running Man. We don’t know too much about his character at this time.
Emilia Jones
At the same time Cera was announced to be joining The Running Man, THR announced that Emilia Jones would be taking on the role of a woman blind to the government’s oppression.
When Can We Expect The Running Man Trailer?
Considering we’re a little more than a year out from The Running Man hitting theaters, it will probably be some time before we get to see Glen Powell’s take on Ben Richards in the highly anticipated action flick. With the film slated for a November 2025 release, it wouldn’t be all that surprising for footage to be shown off at CinemaCon next spring before being released to the general public during the summer months, maybe before Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible 8, which will open on May 23, 2025.
Edgar Wright Has Said His Version Of The Running Man Will Be Faithful To Stephen King’s 1982 Novel Of The Same Name
Though the 1987 version of The Running Man is considered one of the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s not really a faithful adaptation of the 1982 Stephen King (written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman) novel, at least in the eyes of Edgar Wright. When speaking with the Happy Sad Confused podcast in December 2023, the filmmaker revealed that he never really saw the original movie as an adaptation, stating:
The Running Man is something that is in active development. Why is that interesting to me? It’s like, I like the film but I like the book more, and they didn’t really adapt the book. Even as a teenager when I saw the Schwarzenegger film I was like, ‘Oh, this isn’t like the book at all!’ And I think, ‘Nobody’s done that book.’
Though he didn’t provide any details as to how his version will be a more faithful outing than what came before, Wright would also say that The Running Man novel was “something crying out to be adapted .”
Edgar Wright Has Been Developing The Running Man Since 2021
Edgar Wright has been one of the busiest names in show business for the past few years thanks to film projects like Last Night in Soho and The Sparks Brothers, TV shows like the Netflix animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and various other creative endeavors. And during that same stretch of time, Wright has been actively developing his adaptation of The Running Man. Back in February 2021, Deadline reported that Wright was working with Paramount Pictures to make a new movie based on Stephen King’s novel.
No timeline was provided at the time, but more than three years passed between the initial announcement and the April 2024 news of Glen Powell serving as the film’s lead.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Screenwriter Michael Bacall Co-Wrote The Running Man With Edgar Wright
Back in February 2021, when word began to spread that Edgar Wright was working on adapting The Running Man, it was also reported that one of his collaborators was helping make the dream become a reality. According to Variety, Michael Bacall, who co-wrote Scott Pilgrim vs. the World with Wright nearly a decade-and-a-half ago, was helping the filmmaker adapt the 219-page novel into a film.
Bacall, who has acting credits for movies like This Boy’s Life, Inglourious Basterds, and The End of Love, has written a handful of great scripts over the years, including the aforementioned Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street (and its 2014 sequel), and Project X, to name a few.
Production Reportedly Got Underway In November 2024
Though Paramount Pictures hasn’t come out and confirmed the news, it appears as if production on The Running Man has gotten underway. In November 2024, The Daily Mail published a series of photos that were reportedly captured on the set of the upcoming sci-fi movie in the United Kingdom, with star Glen Powell walking around a set that could best be described as having an ‘80s aesthetic.
We should know more about the shoot soon, so make sure to check back for more information in the coming weeks and months.
What Will The Running Man Be Rated?
The MPA has yet to come out and give The Running Man a rating (the film is still in production), but it would be a shocker if this wasn’t rated R for its theatrical release. Most of Edgar Wright’s movies – Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho – have all been rated R, as was the original The Running Man back in 1987.
This Version Of The Running Man Is Not Associated With Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Alleged Attempts At Making A Sequel To His 1987 Adaptation
You might have been able to figure it out by now, but Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is in no way connected to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s alleged attempts to get a remake in the works for his 1987 dystopian classic. Back in November 2014, Digital Spy reported that the iconic action star spoke at a London Q&A session where he said there were “rumblings of a new Running Man movie,” and that it was “a great honor to be asked back.”
Schwarzenegger never elaborated on his comments at the time, but years later, in 2022, Giant Freakin Robot reported that the actor who first played Ben Richards back in 1987 was reportedly actively developing The Running Man 2. Though fans may have been hopeful at the time, there haven’t been any further updates since.
There are still quite a few things we don’t know about the new adaptation of The Running Man but expect to hear more in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, now would be a good time to go back and revisit some of Edgar Wright’s best movies.
