The first trailer for The Running Man raced online earlier today, and Entertainment Weekly (via SFFGazette.com) has since caught up with filmmaker Edgar Wright and the movie's cast to learn more about what to expect from this latest adaptation of the Stephen King novel.
The site explains that the movie begins when Powell's unemployed construction worker, Ben Richards, is forced to enter a game show where contestants are tasked with surviving for as long as they can in an America where anyone is allowed to kill them. The game ends after 30 days, and the longer they survive, the more money they'll make.
The catch is, no one has made it that far because they're quickly taken down by a group of trackers and assassins called the Hunters (who are employed by the all-powerful conglomerate, the Network).
Richards sets out to get the money he and his wife Sheila (Jayme Lawson) need for their sick daughter's medicine, making the stakes higher than ever. As Wright explains, Richards is "looking to go to the Network building to get onto a different show, to get some quick cash. Then a series of incidents lead to him becoming a prime candidate for The Running Man."
The Network is run by Josh Brolin's Dan Killian, who describes his character as "a guy who basically has created this show, and runs this show, and loves to create any scenario that he can that's going to bring more people emotionally wrapped up into the show, regardless of the consequences."
Lee Pace's McCone leads the Hunters, with the Guardians of the Galaxy star calling him "a kind of murderous ghost that follows Richards through the story, trying to murder him, but also trying to put on a show for the American public."
Colman Domingo, meanwhile, takes on the role of Bobby T, the host of "The Running Man" TV show. The actor based his performance on Jerry Springer, and calls his character "the most famous celebrity in the world, which is why we have to make sure he shines in every way, with his diamonds and his jewelry and his expensive Jacob & Co. watch."
Rounding out the cast are Martin Herlihy and Katy O'Brian as more "runners," along with William H. Macy's black market goods dealer and Emilia Jones, who "comes into contact with Ben Richards at a particularly dangerous stage in the movie," explains Wright.
As for Michael Cera's role, the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World helmer says, "He's playing a character who's in the book, Elton. I think what he does in the movie is a little surprising, maybe from his previous performances. 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."
King has given Wright and Powell his blessing, and so has the star of the original 1987 movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The duo hopped on Zoom with the iconic actor, an experience the filmmaker describes as "amazing. We wanted to give a nod to the great man in the film — I'm not going to say what that was — and we sort of needed his approval for it."
"Glen has been in film with Arnold; he was in Expendables 3, and he knew [his son] Patrick. I said, 'We have to talk to Arnold.' It was an incredible call. Obviously, sometimes, when people do newer adaptations of films, it's a bit of a touchy situation," Wright continued. "He actually said to us, 'Out of all of my films that I've made, I've always felt that's one that would be a worthy remake, and I think you guys are all set up to do that.' He basically gave us his blessing, and it was an incredibly sweet thing to do."
The Running Man was a deeply flawed adaptation of King's novel, and while it's beloved by some, Arnie wasn't wrong when he said that the material was worth taking another crack at. With Powell's star still on the rise, this has all the makings of a new classic.
The Running Man opens on November 7. New stills from the movie can be found by following the link in the X post below.
In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favourite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters but a nation addicted to watching him fall.