5 Minutes
A new runner enters the arena
Edgar Wright — the director known for razor-sharp editing, kinetic set pieces and a brilliant comedic pulse — has teamed with Glen Powell to bring a radically different The Running Man to screens in 2025. Where the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version leaned into broad action and 1980s excess, Wright’s take promises a closer relationship with Stephen King’s original novel, blending satirical bite with blistering chase sequences and practical stunts.
Why this adaptation matters
This is more than a remake. It’s part of a broader trend in Hollywood: revisiting classic genre material with an eye toward fidelity and social context. Recent years have seen dystopian game-show and survival narratives regain traction — think The Hunger Games, Black Mirror episodes, and shows like Squid Game — and Wright’s The Running Man arrives at the intersection of spectacle and commentary. The film aims to interrogate media voyeurism and class divides while delivering the kinetic entertainment audiences expect from both Wright and Powell.
Powell as Ben Richards: an action star in evolution
Glen Powell has quietly remapped his career — from the aerial bravado of Top Gun: Maverick to the comic charm of Anyone But You and the disguise-driven Hit Man. In The Running Man he steps fully into an action-hero orbit, propelled by the kind of physical performance and charisma that invite comparisons to contemporary stars like Tom Cruise (who, according to set reports, offered Powell practical advice on action cinema professionalism and stunt preparation).
Wright’s signature: choreography, satire, and sound
Fans of Edgar Wright will find familiar pleasures: rhythmic editing that turns action into dance (recall Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim), meticulously composed visual jokes, and an ear for music that elevates set pieces. Yet Wright’s commitment to a more faithful adaptation of King’s prescient 1982 novel (originally published under his Richard Bachman pseudonym) signals a tonal shift: darker satire, sharper social critique, and a world that feels plausibly near-future.
Inside the production: stunts, sets and surprises
On set, Empire’s world-exclusive coverage observed large-scale practical stunts, ambitious location work and a prop-heavy dystopia that favors tangible effects over CGI gloss. Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Katy O’Brian, and Lee Pace round out a cast that promises both gravitas and comic menace. Expect pulse-pounding chases, inventive kills, and an arena that’s as much a character as the contestants who run through it.
Comparisons, context and critical perspectives
Compared with the Schwarzenegger film, Wright’s version appears more literate and satirical, aligning it with recent prestige genre fare. It also advances a current industry appetite for re-examining property through contemporary themes: surveillance capitalism, reality-TV culture, and media-driven mythology. Critics might ask whether Wright’s kinetic style can balance with King’s bleak irony — but that tension is exactly what could make this the most interesting adaptation of the material yet.
Film historian Maya Alvarez offers a brisk take: "Wright’s combination of formal virtuosity and social satire is well suited to King’s premise. If he leans into practicality—actual stunts, lived-in sets—this could be a rare blockbuster that respects its source while feeling urgently modern."
Behind-the-scenes trivia
• Stephen King first published The Running Man in 1982 under the Richard Bachman name. • The 1987 film diverged significantly from the book; Wright’s version intentionally restores many darker themes. • Cast members reportedly trained intensively for long, choreographed action beats rather than relying on quick cuts or stunt doubles for all close-ups.
Conclusion: Run, but look back
Edgar Wright’s The Running Man promises to be 2025’s must-see dystopian action thriller — one that blends show-stopping stunts with social satire and a more faithful reading of Stephen King’s novel. Whether you’re a fan of Wright’s directorial flair, Glen Powell’s rising star power, or sharp adaptations that critique contemporary media culture, this film is shaping up to be both a crowd-pleaser and a conversation starter. Keep an eye on the trailers and pre-release features: this is a manhunt you’ll want to study as well as watch.
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