By Irshad Khan 
Glen Powell commands the screen in Edgar Wright’s visceral reimagining of The Running Man, delivering a career-defining performance that anchors the acclaimed director’s darkest and most unrelenting film to date. Released on November 14, 2025, this adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel strips away the campy excess of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger version to reveal a brutal, uncompromising thriller that feels unnervingly relevant in today’s media-saturated landscape.
Powell’s Transformative Performance
Glen Powell, riding high from his success in Top Gun: Maverick and Hit Man, elevates his career to new heights as Ben Richards, a wrongfully accused man forced into a deadly televised hunt. Powell underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the role, losing 20 pounds to embody the desperation and exhaustion of a man running for his life through a near-future America where survival equals entertainment.
The actor brings raw vulnerability and simmering rage to Richards, a stark departure from his typically charismatic roles. In the film’s opening sequence, Powell delivers a powerhouse monologue that establishes his character’s moral compass before the system breaks him down. Throughout the grueling 30-day hunt, Powell conveys Richards’ physical and psychological deterioration with haunting authenticity, never losing sight of the humanity beneath the hunted animal.
Director Edgar Wright praised Powell’s commitment during promotional interviews, noting that the actor performed many of his own stunts and insisted on shooting several scenes in harsh weather conditions to capture genuine discomfort. “Glen wanted every bead of sweat, every gasp for air to be real,” Wright explained. “He understood that this wasn’t an action hero—it’s a man being destroyed by a system designed to dehumanize him for profit.”
Edgar Wright’s Dark Vision
Known for his kinetic editing and pop culture-infused storytelling in films like Baby Driver, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Edgar Wright takes a decidedly different approach with The Running Man. While his signature visual flair remains—particularly in the film’s hunt sequences choreographed with precision and set to a pulsating score by Steven Price—the tone is unflinchingly dark and socially conscious.
Wright’s adaptation stays remarkably faithful to Stephen King’s 1982 novel (written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman), abandoning the 1987 film’s game show aesthetics for a more grounded, surveillance-state nightmare. The director constructs a dystopian America where economic collapse has created a desperate underclass willing to watch—and participate in—televised violence for both entertainment and survival.
Cinematographer Bill Pope employs handheld cameras and gritty, desaturated visuals that evoke 1970s paranoia thrillers. The film’s most harrowing sequences unfold in decaying industrial landscapes and abandoned urban zones, where hunters stalk Richards with military-grade equipment while millions watch via streaming platforms. Wright punctuates the action with satirical advertisements and media commentary that feel disturbingly prescient in our current social media age.
Supporting Cast Excellence
Josh Brolin delivers a chilling performance as Dan Killian, the ruthless producer who orchestrates the hunt with the clinical detachment of a network executive prioritizing ratings over human life. Brolin imbues Killian with a terrifying banality, portraying him not as a mustache-twirling villain but as a businessman who genuinely believes he’s providing a public service through violent spectacle.
Lee Pace commands attention as Evan McCone, the chief hunter pursuing Richards with fanatical determination. Pace brings unexpected depth to what could have been a one-dimensional antagonist, revealing McCone’s own desperate need for relevance in a society that discards people as quickly as it elevates them. His cat-and-mouse exchanges with Powell crackle with tension, particularly during the film’s climactic confrontation.
The supporting cast includes standout performances from Emilia Jones as Richards’ wife Sheila, whose limited screen time leaves a lasting emotional impact; Katy O’Brian as Laughlin, a fellow contestant who forms an uneasy alliance with Richards; and Michael Cera in a surprising dramatic turn as a network technician who begins questioning his complicity in the bloodsport. Colman Domingo appears in a memorable cameo as a resistance leader operating in the margins of the surveillance state.
Critical Acclaim and Reception
The Running Man premiered to overwhelmingly positive reviews, currently holding a 91% critics rating and 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have praised Wright’s departure from his typically lighter fare, with many calling it his most mature and politically engaged work. The Hollywood Reporter described it as “a pulse-pounding thriller that doubles as a savage critique of media manipulation and economic exploitation,” while Variety noted that Powell “announces himself as a dramatic leading man of the highest caliber.”
The film has sparked considerable discussion about its parallels to contemporary reality television, social media culture, and the commodification of human suffering for entertainment. Several think pieces have explored how Wright’s adaptation comments on streaming platform algorithms, influencer culture, and the increasingly blurred lines between news coverage and entertainment spectacle.
Some critics have noted that the film’s relentless brutality may prove too intense for general audiences, with its R-rating fully earned through graphic violence and disturbing thematic content. However, most agree that this unflinching approach is essential to the story’s impact, preventing the material from becoming the very kind of sanitized spectacle it critiques.
Box Office Performance
The Running Man opened to solid box office numbers, earning $38 million domestically in its opening weekend against a $90 million production budget. While not matching the explosive debut of traditional action blockbusters, the film demonstrated strong legs, benefiting from positive word-of-mouth and Powell’s growing star power. International markets responded particularly well, with the film earning an additional $47 million overseas during its opening frame.
Paramount Pictures is positioning the film for awards consideration, particularly in technical categories and for Powell’s lead performance. Industry analysts predict the film will continue to perform steadily throughout the holiday corridor, with potential to cross $200 million worldwide. More importantly, the film has established Wright as a filmmaker capable of handling large-scale prestige projects while maintaining his distinctive voice.
For Glen Powell, The Running Man represents a pivotal moment in his ascent to A-list leading man status. The actor has several high-profile projects lined up, but this performance demonstrates his range beyond charm and physical prowess, proving he can anchor a serious dramatic thriller. As the film continues its theatrical run and builds momentum toward awards season, Powell’s transformation from rising star to bankable dramatic lead appears complete.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo, Deadline