
'The Running Man': Glen Powell steps into Arnold Schwarzenegger role in first footage
The "Twisters" star, 36, steps into the role previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first trailer for "The Running Man," a new adaptation of the 1982 Stephen King novel.
Powell stars as Ben Richards, a man who enters a televised competition show where contestants are hunted by professional assassins. The trailer shows Ben, who is caring for his sick daughter, being recruited for the show by its producer, played by Josh Brolin. Colman Domingo also appears in the footage as the show's charismatic host.
Edgar Wright, whose previous films include "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz," directs "The Running Man." His signature directing style, including fast-paced editing and the use of quick zooms, is on display in the footage.
King's "Running Man" novel was previously adapted into a 1987 movie starring Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards and featuring Richard Dawson as the game show host character.
Powell told People magazine in April that Schwarzenegger "gave us his blessing" for the new film.
Glen Powell debuts 'maniacal' first footage from 'The Running Man'
Watch 'The Running Man' trailer
The trailer, released on July 1, is an action-packed look at Powell's character fleeing for his life, jumping away from explosions and looking directly into a camera to exclaim, "Stop filming me!" Watch it here.
What is 'The Running Man' about?
"In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television — a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward," the plot synopsis reads.
"Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show's charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben's defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall."
Glen Powell talks Netflix's 'Hit Man,' his dog Brisket and 'freedom' of moving to Texas
Is 'The Running Man' a remake?
Wright has described the new "Running Man" as a more faithful adaptation of the original novel, rather than a remake of the 1987 movie. "The real story of the book has never been told as written," he said during a presentation at CinemaCon in April. "It's one of those movies that give audiences someone to cheer for."
The director elaborated in an interview with Fandango, "I love the original 80s (movie), but it's a very loose adaptation of Stephen King's book, and I was a fan of the book."
'The Running Man' cast
"The Running Man" stars Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin.
'The Running Man' release date
"The Running Man" is set to hit theaters on Nov. 7, 2025.
Contributing: Brian Truitt
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


San Francisco Chronicle
21 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Movie Review: In 'The Old Guard 2,' Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman get half a movie
About 80 minutes into 'The Old Guard 2,' I found myself wondering how the filmmakers were going to wrap things up. There were a lot of threads dangling with Charlize Theron'sgang of immortal warriors, split up and facing extinction, and she still had yet to face off with the new villain, Discord (apparently the first immortal), played by Uma Thurman. The promise of a showdown between The Bride and Furiosa may not justify the existence of this sequel, now streaming on Netflix, but it was something to look forward to nonetheless. And while they do fight, for a little, something even crazier happens not too long after: The movie ends or, rather, stops mid-climax. An ending was never part of the plan. This might be an attempt at a cheeky nod to the life of an immortal — what is an ending after all, I guess? But unlike the first film, which merely left the door open for the possibility of a sequel, 'The Old Guard 2' cuts off mid-movie. Not only is there no option to 'continue watching,' there's no promise we'll even get an 'Old Guard 3.' Moviegoers endure a lot of partial stories in these days of franchise filmmaking, ever desperate for a built-in audience. With some, you know a resolution is coming at a later date, as with 'Mission: Impossible' or 'Wicked.' With others, like 'Dune,' a part two or three might have been a question mark, but the intention was unambiguously there. There's nothing fun or enjoyable about being surprised that you've been watching a 'part one' the whole time, especially on a service that has helped train us to click next episode. Perhaps that also has to do with the quality of 'The Old Guard 2,' which feels like a step down from the first movie, which provided much-needed escapism in the summer of 2020 as we met Theron's Andromache the Scythian (Andy, for short) and welcomed KiKi Layne's new immortal Nile. It ended with Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) being exiled for a betrayal and the tease that Andy's old companion Quynh (Vân Veronica Ngô), was still alive. Quynh is, understandably, not thrilled that she was left at the bottom of the ocean for centuries. She wants to punish Andy the most — the movie heavily implies that they were more than sisters in arms, but never quite goes so far as to confirm that their love was romantic, which is especially strange given that it doesn't shy away from letting Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari) be an out gay couple. One of the most significant behind-the-scenes changes is that Gina Prince-Bythewood ( 'The Woman King,' 'Love & Basketball') ceded directing duties to Victoria Mahoney, who has directed episodes of 'Queen Sugar' and 'You' and served as second unit director on 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.' Working off Greg Rucka and Sarah L. Walker's screenplay, the movies opens with a lively action sequence in which the immortals attempt to nab an arms dealer. Nicky and Joe are the distractors, getting their own James Bond-esque car chase, while Nile, Andy and Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) get more hand-to-hand combat on the property. It sets a fun tone and allows for some (mostly) welcome exposition — 'remember, you're not immortal anymore' — for those who might not have the best memory of something they watched at the height of the pandemic. But the film never recaptures that energy again and devolves into an increasingly tedious meditation on time, death and the science of why Andy lost her immortality power (which is approaching 'Face/Off' levels of insanity). Thurman has a mighty good scowl as the 'bad immortal' who long ago decided she didn't have any desire to help the humans who persecuted her kind, but the movie seems to be saving her big moment for later. Overall 'The Old Guard 2' is fine, a bit of a background movie that's probably easy enough to tune in and out of (though Schoenaerts, a standout, gives it some real pathos). Its greatest sin is the non-ending, which might have moviegoers engaging in their own rants about wasted time. Cliffhangers are a gamble — when the movie is satisfying on its own, it can leave them wanting more. In this case, it might just leave them angry. Audiences in 2025 deserve better. 'The Old Guard 2,' a Netflix release now streaming, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for 'sequences of graphic violence and some language.' Running time: 105 minutes. Two stars out of four.


Geek Tyrant
38 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
THE RUNNING MAN: Edgar Wright Breaks Down His Reboot's Leads and Talks About Earning Schwarzenegger's Blessing — GeekTyrant
Edgar Wright's The Running Man reboot is speeding toward theaters, and now that the first trailer has dropped, the filmmaker is talking about and teasing what fans can expect, from the revamped cast of heroes and villains to getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's personal stamp of approval. Based on Stephen King's dystopian novel (written under the Richard Bachman pseudonym), this new version of The Running Man isn't looking to copy the 1987 cult favorite. It's diving deeper into the source material while giving it a modern, unflinching energy. Glen Powell ( Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You ) takes the lead as Ben Richards, an out-of-work construction worker who enters the Network's deadly 30-day survival show in a desperate attempt to save his sick daughter. Jayme Lawson plays Sheila, Ben's wife, adding emotional stakes to the chaos. 'Richards is looking to go to the Network building to get onto a different show, to get some quick cash,' Wright explains. 'Then a series of incidents lead to him becoming a prime candidate for The Running Man.' On the antagonist side, Josh Brolin is Dan Killian, who's not just the show's producer, but the mastermind behind the entire bloodsport. ' Brolin calls his character, 'A guy who basically has created this show, and runs this show, and loves to create any scenario that he can that's going to bring more people emotionally wrapped up into the show, regardless of the consequences.' Lee Pace plays McCone, the lead Hunter tasked with tracking Richards. He calls the character 'a kind of murderous ghost that follows Richards through the story, trying to murder him, but also trying to put on a show for the American public.' And then there's Colman Domingo, channeling Jerry Springer energy as Bobby T, the wildly charismatic face of The Running Man TV broadcast. 'The most famous celebrity in the world,' Domingo says. 'Which is why we have to make sure he shines in every way, with his diamonds and his jewelry and his expensive Jacob & Co. watch.' Supporting cast includes Martin Herlihy and Katy O'Brian as fellow Runners, William H. Macy as a shady black-market dealer, Emilia Jones in a mysterious and pivotal role, and Michael Cera as Elton, a character from the book that Wright teases has 'a little surprising' arc compared to Cera's usual fare. 'It was such a thrill to be with him and also just to see him and Glen Powell together,' Wright adds. 'They're a very unlikely duo.' One of the biggest moments for Wright and Powell was Getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's blessing. The director reveals that he and Powell got on a Zoom call with the action legend, and it couldn't have gone better. 'It was amazing,' Wright says. 'We wanted to give a nod to the great man in the film — I'm not going to say what that was — and we sort of needed his approval for it.' He continues: 'Glen has been in film with Arnold; he was in Expendables 3 , and he knew [his son] Patrick. I said, 'We have to talk to Arnold.' It was an incredible call… He actually said to us, 'Out of all of my films that I've made, I've always felt that's one that would be a worthy remake, and I think you guys are all set up to do that.' He basically gave us his blessing, and it was an incredibly sweet thing to do.' This reboot looks to fix what many felt the original got wrong giving us a movie that's sharper, deadlier, and more relevant than ever. A brutal media satire wrapped in a high-stakes action thriller, The Running Man is gunning for both your adrenaline and your conscience. The hunt begins November 7.


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
'The Running Man' Reboot - Everything We Know So Far
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors In 1987, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in "The Running Man", based on the 1982 Stephen King novel of the same name. Now, English director Edgar Wright has decided to take a stab at the property but with a story that stays closer to the source material. Read More: Glen Powell Revives Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic in 'Running Man' Trailer Who is in "The Running Man" reboot? How is it different from the 1987 film and what is it about exactly? To find out, keep reading for everything we know about "The Running Man" reboot. Glen Powell in "The Running Man". Glen Powell in "The Running Man". Paramount Who Is Making 'The Running Man' Reboot? Edgar Wright is directing "The Running Man" reboot from a script by Wright and Michael Bacall. Who Is In 'The Running Man' Reboot? Glen Powell stars in "The Running Man" as Ben Richards, the hero. Michael Cera plays Bradley, a rebel who helps Richards. William H. Macy stars as another man who helps Richards when he's on the run. Josh Brolin plays the deadly show's producer Dan Killian. Colman Domingo is Bobby Thompson, the show's host. Lee Pace plays the hunter Evan McCone and Katy O'Brian plays another contestant in the game. What Is 'The Running Man' Reboot About? The official synopsis for "The Running Man" reads, "In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward." "Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show's charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort." "But Ben's defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall." Is There A Trailer For 'The Running Man' Reboot? Paramount Pictures released a trailer for "The Running Man" on July 1. You can watch the preview below. When Will 'The Running Man' Reboot Come Out? "The Running Man" releases in theaters on November 7. More Movies: 'Predator: Badlands' First Look Teases Creature's Bloody Quest Scarlett Johansson Offers Major Update on Disney Adaptation