The Running Man
A deadly televised game show offers one desperate father a chance to pay for his daughter's treatment—if he can survive thirty days on the run.
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About the film
Hunt him down.
What it’s about
In a near-future America, Ben Richards is blacklisted from work and unable to afford care for his gravely ill daughter. The producer of The Running Man, a brutal reality show, persuades him to compete as a last resort. The rules: evade professional hunters and bounty-seeking citizens for thirty days to win a life-changing prize. Ben's defiance and grit quickly make him a fan favorite, but his popularity threatens the system itself.
What hooks you
Edgar Wright directs this adaptation of Stephen King's novel, with Glen Powell as Ben Richards and Colman Domingo as Bobby T. King praised the film as "the 'Die Hard' of our time." Wright aimed to capture the road-movie spirit of the book rather than remake the 1987 film. Tom Cruise called Powell with stunt safety advice, and Arnold Schwarzenegger gave his blessing to the new lead. The cast also includes Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, and Katy O'Brian.
Who it’s for
It is worth a look for anyone who enjoys dystopian thrillers where media turns violence into spectacle and the hunted becomes a symbol of resistance. It will also appeal to those who like high-stakes survival stories with sharp social commentary and relentless pacing.
- Countries
- United States, United Kingdom
- Year
- 2025
- Genres
- Action, Science Fiction
- Running time
- 2h 13min
- Age rating
- 17+
- MPAA
- R
- World premiere
- Nov 5, 2025
Ratings
MOVIE․ONE · 314 votesCreative team
All 11
Trivia
All facts 7
- Tom Cruise called Glen Powell, who was to play the lead role, and gave him some advice about the future film. According to Powell, he expected the call to last about ten minutes, but the conversation went on for 2.5 hours. During the dialogue, Cruise talked about how best to ensure safety while performing stunts and indeed gave Powell some valuable advice.
- The writer Stephen King, author of the novel "The Running Man," liked this adaptation and called it "a 'Die Hard' for our time."
- Before filming began, actor Glen Powell reached out to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Ben Richards in the 1987 film, and according to Glen, Schwarzenegger gave him his blessing to take on the role.
- Director and screenwriter Edgar Wright deliberately rejected the idea of making the film as a remake of the 1987 movie, which had many changes compared to the original novel. According to Edgar, he wanted to capture the mesmerizing road-movie spirit of Stephen King's work.
- In the film's universe, the banknotes feature Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Ben Richards in the 1987 film of the same name. Since US banknotes traditionally depict former presidents of the country, this is also a reference to the 1993 film «Demolition Man», which contained a joke about Arnold possibly becoming president. The banknotes can first be seen at the 3rd minute of the film, when Ben is watching the TV show Speed The Wheel.
- Edgar Wright (the film's director, screenwriter and producer) agreed to cast Glen Powell only if Stephen King (author of the 1982 novel that served as the film's literary source) approved his candidacy. To convince King that Powell was right for the lead role, Wright advised him to watch Richard Linklater's crime romantic comedy "Hit Man" (2023), starring Powell in the lead role.
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Boss Level
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The Running Man (2025)
The Running Man
2025
The Running Man
2025
The Running Man
2025