“The Running Man” is a pants full of adrenaline.

 Edgar Wright reboots Stephen King’s The Running Man with Glen Powell in a ruthless, thrilling chase across dystopian America. Brutal, emotional, and eerily relevant—this is the remake we didn’t know we needed.

Review: The Running Man (2025)

Behold a race for survival that crackles with urgency, heart, and a righteous Dose of Edgar Wright twist. The Running Man (2025) lands like a shot of adrenaline—rooted in Stephen King’s Richard Bachman dystopia, yet revitalized through Wright’s kinetic lens and Glen Powell’s everyman charisma. It’s not just a remake—it’s a pulse-pounding reentry into a world where desperation meets spectacle.

Plot & Context

Set in a near-future America broken by totalitarian oversight and economic collapse, the film follows Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a desperate father with a promise of salvation—and only 30 days to live up to it. The show “The Running Man” challenges contestants to survive being hunted by lethal “Hunters” across the globe, broadcast 24/7. If Richards lasts, he wins a fortune; if not… he’s erased. Wright’s adaptation delves deep into the novel’s moral grit, edging far away from the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version and dragging us into the true horror of performative violence.

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Performances: Powell & the Ensemble

Glen Powell delivers his most committed performance yet as Richards, capturing the trembling fear and hardened resolve of a man with nothing left to lose. His physicality—real sprinting, real stunts—anchors the film in credibility, a choice lauded by critics and Wright alike.

The supporting cast is a kaleidoscopic arena of moral shades. Josh Brolin embodies the charming yet ruthless executive, Dan Killian. Michael Cera offers an offbeat rebel ally, Emilia Jones and Jayme Lawson bring humanity to the fight, and Lee Pace’s masked Hunter McCone radiates cold danger. Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra—all round out a cast built to elevate ensemble storytelling over star spectacle.

Direction & Tone

Edgar Wright moves from Baby Driver-style storytelling to a sprawling, globe-trotting chase. He balances bleak satire with kinetic visuals—every sprint through urban sprawl, every tight escape, is imbued with cinematic flourishes that undercut the horror with unexpected humanity. It’s thrilling, political, and slyly dark.

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Critics & Industry Voices

• Edgar Wright emphasizes faithfulness to King, while stripping away franchise clichés for “grounded, emotional grit.”

• Glen Powell insisted on doing his own running stunts—“like Tom Cruise,” say the briefs—lending the film a rare physical ferocity.

• People highlights the faithful casting of characters omitted in previous versions—like Elton Parrakis (Michael Cera)—bringing deeper texture.

• TheMovieBox calls the trailer “adrenaline-fueled… a desperate father on the run,” capturing the drama Wright injects into every frame.

Why It Matters

In 2025, when streaming remakes and franchise fatigue threaten to dilute impact, The Running Man bucks the trend. It’s vibrant, emotionally pitched, socially aware dystopia, and it demands that we consider our fascination with violence as entertainment. Through Wright’s direction, Powell’s performance, and a layered vision of media warping humanity—it’s both spectacle and saboteur.