Glen Powell’s “Running Man” – Cast, Release, Plot: Everything on the New Sci-Fi Action Flick!

With eight feature films under his belt in just over two decades, Edgar Wright is a filmmaker who takes his time between projects, ensuring the wait is always worthwhile. After a four-year hiatus following his 2021 double feature of a Sparks documentary and “Last Night in Soho,” Wright is back, this time in the United States and in a not-too-distant future with a new take on Stephen King’s 1982 novel, “Running Man.” As the film races toward theaters, here’s what you need to know.

Release Date: When and Where Can You Watch Running Man?

Originally scheduled for November 5, 2025, the release of the film has been slightly delayed and will now premiere on the 19th, in theaters where audiences can fully enjoy the cinematic experience. In France, it will compete with two other adaptations (“Jean Valjean” and “Wicked – Part II”) as well as Dominik Moll’s “Dossier 137.”

Casting: Who Takes Over from Arnold Schwarzenegger?

You may recall that “Running Man” was previously turned into a film in 1987. Nearly four decades later, Glen Powell, Hollywood’s new darling, steps into the fray to survive for thirty days on live TV, competing for a billion dollars to afford life-saving treatment for his daughter. Joining him is an impressive cast including Colman Domingo as the game show host, Josh Brolin as the network’s CEO, and Lee Pace as a formidable masked tracker. The film also features Jayme Lawson as the hero’s wife, Katy O’Brian as a fellow contestant, and Michael Cera, reuniting with Edgar Wright fifteen years after “Scott Pilgrim.”

And if you’re wondering about an Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo, the film will reveal that, though the trailer hints at something exciting. This raises the big question about the nature of the film.

The Story: What is Running Man About? Is It a Sequel or a Remake?

Co-written by Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall, his “Scott Pilgrim” co-writer, this new version of “Running Man” adheres more closely to the plot of Stephen King’s novel, which interestingly was set in 2025. In a near but undefined future, a man struggling financially agrees to participate in a televised game where he must evade assassins for thirty days to win a billion dollars needed to pay for his daughter’s medical treatment.

That’s all we can reveal, as the rest of the story, filled with deadly dangers, obstacles, unfortunate encounters, and manipulations, will unfold in theaters starting November 19. But it’s clear this is a straightforward remake (or a new adaptation), not a sequel to the 1987 film. Glen Powell could indeed be the star of a new season of the show, but for various reasons, that isn’t feasible.

Again, the main character is named Ben Richards, as in the book and its 1987 adaptation. We also see characters like Laughlin (formerly Yaphet Kotto, now Katy O’Brian) and Killian, the network boss (played by Richard Dawson and now Josh Brolin). So, we are indeed looking at a new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman (like “Desolation”).

If you’ve read the book or seen the 1987 film, you might think you know the ending… but no. Edgar Wright has recently noted that he had to alter the ending for reasons tied to recent U.S. history, but that Stephen King approved his choices. We’ll find out in a month or less what those changes entail.