What You Need To Know About Edgar Wright’s ‘Running Man’ Reboot

One of Stephen King‘s most thrilling dystopian stories is finding new life with a brand-new adaptation of The Running Man, directed by one of the most acclaimed directors living today and featuring a stellar ensemble cast. The story’s name will no doubt be familiar to fans of the prolific horror author, but many may also recognize it as the cult-favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger film from 1987, where our favorite action superstar has to fight against ruthless gladiators like Fireball, Dynamo, and Subzero (no, not the one from Mortal Kombat).

1987’s The Running Man is an absolute blast and a Schwarzenegger classic, but it’s not exactly an accurate adaptation of Stephen King’s far more bleak and serious novel. In a way, it’s almost comparable to the notorious case of David Lynch‘s Dune – a decently goofy and entertaining crowd-pleaser in its own right, but not exactly the accurate adaptation that fans of the book might be hoping for. Now, Baby Driver director Edgar Wright and Twisters star Glen Powell are aiming to deliver their own take on this beloved dystopian story. To find out more about the latest Stephen King adaptation, and its cast, plot, crew, and more, here is everything we know so far about Edgar Wright’s The Running Man remake.

8 Does ‘The Running Man’ Have a Release Date?

We’ll be seeing a completely different version of Ben Richards (Glen Powell) when The Running Man sprints into theaters on Friday, November 21, 2025. November 2025 is certainly going to be a pretty significant month for movies, and not just because of The Running Man remake. Also set to debut that month are the post-apocalyptic Predator film Badlands, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos‘ next collaboration Bugonia, and Jesse Eisenberg‘s long-gestating magician heist sequel Now You See Me 3.

7 Where Can You Watch ‘The Running Man’?

The Running Man‘s cruel and unusual games will be taking place exclusively in theaters once the film debuts in November 2025. The news of the film getting a wide theatrical release should hardly be a surprise. Not only have all of Edgar Wright’s previous films like Baby Drive and Last Night in Soho premiered in theaters, but Glen Powell has a proven track record of box office success with roles in movies like Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters.

6 Does ‘The Running Man’ Have a Trailer?

The stage is only just getting set for The Running Man at the time of this writing, so it will be a little while before we get our first look at Edgar Wright and Glen Powell’s exciting vision for the Stephen King adaptation.

5 Who Stars in ‘The Running Man’?

Leading the packed cast of The Running Man is Glen Powell as Ben Richards, who has become a global superstar following his breakout role in Top Gun: Maverick. Since co-starring with Tom Cruise, Powell has made standout appearances in other hit films like Hit Man, Anyone But You, and Twisters. Powell is also set to star in Hulu’s upcoming football comedy series Chad Powers.

The lengthy and prestigious supporting cast of The Running Man begins with The Batman star Jayme Lawson as Sheila, who is Ben Richards’ wife in the book. Also, reportedly playing some major villains in the film are Avengers: Infinity War star Josh Brolin as a nefarious producer and Guardians of the Galaxy star Lee Pace will play one of the film’s ruthless hunters. The Running Man will also be something of a reunion for both the film’s lead star and director. Not only will Glen Powell be reuniting with his Twisters co-star, Katy O’Brian, but Edgar Wright is also set to direct Michael Cera again for the first time since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

The rest of The Running Man‘s cast includes:

4 What Is ‘The Running Man’ About?

Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is promised to be a closer adaptation of the original Stephen King novel as opposed to a full-blown remake of the 1987 feature film. Where the Arnold Schwarzenegger film is an over-the-top action extravaganza that “The Governator” is so well-known for, the book is a much darker dystopian tale that is consistent with Stephen King’s thrilling style of storytelling. The official synopsis for Stephen King’s novel can be found below:

It is 2025 and reality TV has progressed to the point where people are willing to wager their lives in exchange for a chance at enormous wealth. Ben Richards is desperate – he needs money to treat his daughter’s illness. His last chance is entering a game show called The Running Man where the objective is to elude police and specially trained trackers for a month. The reward is a cool billion dollars. The catch is that everyone else on the planet is watching and willing to turn him in for a reward.

3 Who Is Making ‘The Running Man’?

The Running Man will be directed, co-written, and produced by Edgar Wright – one of the most acclaimed filmmakers working today. Wright justifiably rose to stardom through the unofficial “Cornetto Trilogy” starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, which includes Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End. Other entries in Wright’s prestigious filmography are Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver, and Last Night in Soho. The Running Man will also be co-written by Wright’s collaborator on Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Michael Bacall.

2 When Did ‘The Running Man’ Start Filming?

Filming for The Running Man is currently taking place in London, with the film’s crew and Glen Powell being spotted filming on Tuesday, November 12.

1 Is the Original ‘The Running Man’ Streaming Online?

Regardless of how accurate it is to the book, many may want to see Ben Richards’ first on-screen appearance before Edgar Wright’s adaptation hits theaters. 1987’s The Running Man sees Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as a former helicopter pilot for the government, who was then framed for a crime he didn’t commit after he refused to fire upon a crowd of civilians. After escaping prison, Richards is captured by Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) – the host of the country’s number one game show, “The Running Man”. Killian practically forces Ben to enter a Hunger Games-like arena where he and his companions will have to fight ruthless stalkers to survive, but Killian may have greatly underestimated his new contestant.

1987’s The Running Man is available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime.

Watch on Paramount+ with Showtime