The first trailer for The Running Man is here, and it shows Glen Powell in a more faithful adaptation of the Stephen King novel than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 sci-fi classic.
The trailer, below, shows Glen Powell’s downtrodden Ben Richards enter The Running Man — the biggest TV show in this dystopian America — out of a desperate need for money to help his sick daughter amid a medical crisis. Powell’s employment status is declared “blacklisted” so he’s unable to work. In the Arnie version, Richards is forced into The Running Man as a framed cop.
The nature of the show itself is different, too. Powell’s Richards is hunted by the entire country as he clings desperately to survival and a chance at the huge cash prize. His every move is watched, and indeed we see this in action in the trailer. All Richards needs to do is survive for 30 days and he’s won. Of course, it’s not quite that easy.
This new The Running Man is directed by Edgar Wright of Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver fame, and you can feel his signature, fast-paced style in the trailer. Wright has spoken of his desire to more faithfully adapt King’s novel, and as a result we have Josh Brolin as Killian, the show’s executive producer, and a separate character (Colman Domingo’s Bobby Thompson) hosting the show itself. Richards has a few choice words for Killian before setting out to participate in The Running Man, and he vows to take his revenge.
The scope of this new The Running Man is different compared to the 1987 film. Powell’s Richards is on the run across the entire country, whereas Arnie’s Richard’s was confined to a closed off play area (packed with fondly remembered boss fights). The trailer teases a fun sequence where Richards runs out an apartment into a corridor while dodging bullets, then slide into an elevator to escape.
Richards is hunted throughout by a singular masked character whose identity remains a mystery, but Entertainment Weekly reported the character’s name is McCone and is played by Foundation star Lee Pace.
What we are sure of is The Running Man will see Glen Powell running. A lot. And yes, he takes his shirt off. We eventually see Michael Cera, who played Scott Pilgrim in Wright’s 2010 movie, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, help Richards out by spraying water on an electrified floor. All very video games.
EW reports Cera plays Elton Parrakis from the book. “I think what he does in the movie is a little surprising, maybe from his previous performances,” Wright added. “It was such a thrill to be with him and also just to see him and Glen Powell together. They’re a very unlikely duo that it was really fun to witness.”
The Running Man launches November 7, 2025.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
