Trailer courtesy of Paramount Pictures. Watch the official first look above.
Director: Edgar Wright | US Release: 14 November 2025 (Theatrical) | Distributor: Paramount Pictures
A Faithful Return to Stephen King’s Vision
In a near-future a lethal game show turns human survival into prime-time spectacle. Ben Richards, a working-class man becomes an unexpected folk hero, when he enters “The Running Man” arena to save his family. But he is proofs to be a a threat to the system and must be eliminated at all costs.
Edgar Wright’s The Running Man targets a more book-faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel (as Richard Bachman), shifting away from the 1987 film’s tone toward a grittier, globe-spanning chase. With Glen Powell leading a stacked ensemble, Paramount Pictures is positioning this as a kinetic thriller with sharp media satire baked in.
What We Know So Far
- Book-faithful approach: Wright has teased a “dangerous road movie” that expands the hunt beyond studio sets into the wider world, aligning closer with King’s novel than the 1987 version.
- Glen Powell’s lead turn: Powell plays Ben Richards, a desperate father whose instinct and grit make him must-see TV. He is physically demanding with real emotional stakes.
- Media satire: The show-within-the-show world-building mirrors today’s reality TV and social media surveillance, foregrounding control versus resistance and the economics of spectacle.
- Signature craft: Expect precision-cut set pieces, white-knuckle pursuit, and bursts of dark humour typical of Wright’s style.
Note: Production wrapped in 2024; post-production continues into 2025 ahead of the November release.
Featurette: Glenn Training
Featurette courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Featurette: Glenn Action Hero
Featurette courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
Cast, Crew, and Release
Cast: Glen Powell (Ben Richards), Josh Brolin (Dan Killian), Colman Domingo (Bobby Thompson), Lee Pace (Evan McCone), Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Jayme Lawson, William H. Macy, Katy O’Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, David Zayas.
Crew: Directed by Edgar Wright; written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright; cinematography by Chung Chung-hoon; editing by Paul Machliss; music by Steven Price; reported VFX by Industrial Light & Magic; produced by Complete Fiction and Kinberg Genre; distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Bottom Line
With Wright’s kinetic craft and a timely media-satire edge, The Running Man looks set to deliver a darker, exciting thrill a minute take on King’s dystopian chase. A must-see for genre fans on both sides of the Atlantic.
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