Paramount Pictures has unveiled two new posters for director Edgar Wright’s highly anticipated film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel The Running Man, featuring Glen Powell in the lead role of Ben Richards. Unlike the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this new version promises to adhere more closely to King’s original dystopian vision, highlighting the brutal televised game where contestants are hunted for survival.
The Story Behind The Running Man: A Deadly Game for Survival
The narrative is set in a bleak near-future United States in 2025, where economic collapse and escalating global violence have become the norm. Ben Richards, portrayed by Glen Powell, is a working-class father desperate to save his ailing daughter. He agrees to enter the notoriously perilous game show, The Running Man, where participants—called Runners—must evade a team of professional assassins while the entire nation watches. Surviving each day increases the monetary prize, but also the dangers they face.
In the story, the game’s charismatic yet merciless producer Dan Killian, played by Josh Brolin, coerces Richards into competing as a final option to secure funds for his family. However, Ben’s resilience and defiance rapidly transform him into a fan favorite and a threat to the sinister system that exploits the spectacle for entertainment.
Glen Powell’s Perspective on the Character and Social Commentary
Powell has expressed that his journey parallels that of Ben Richards in many ways, especially as a public figure navigating a media landscape where truth seems increasingly irrelevant.
“I think the journey of Ben Richards and me, there’s definitely overlap, which is as a public figure, especially now, I would say the truth has probably never mattered less — we’re in a TikTokification age where everyone’s trying to gain followers or after their own agendas,”
Glen Powell, Lead Actor
“People do whatever it takes to get what they need and say whatever they need to say to get what they need… You can’t blame anyone, but it is just the system that we live in.”
Glen Powell, Lead Actor
He also highlighted the ruthless portrayal of contestants as villains to fuel audience excitement, reflecting society’s tendency to quickly assign blame without nuance.
“And even more so, you’re set up to become the villain so that the world cheers for you to lose,”
Glen Powell, Lead Actor
“I find it always fascinating in terms of our news cycle, how quickly news spreads and how quickly we’re here to define heroes and villains, and how odd that there’s no nuance or fact-checking. It’s rapid headlines, almost to an overwhelming degree, which is very dangerous. And you start to see that pack mentality of how the internet works. And we very much play on that in The Running Man.”
Glen Powell, Lead Actor
Tribute to Schwarzenegger and Visual Highlights
Despite charting its own course from the original film, the new adaptation pays homage to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic portrayal of Ben Richards by featuring his image on the fictional $100 bill within the movie’s world. This nod connects the two versions while maintaining the fresh storytelling approach under Edgar Wright’s direction.
Two promotional posters emphasize the high stakes and urgency of the story, with one boldly stating,
“Survive 30 days while the world hunts you down,”
reinforcing the deadly nature of the competition.
The Impact and Cultural Relevance of The Running Man
The Running Man explores themes of media sensationalism, societal decay, and the extremes people will endure to protect their loved ones, all wrapped in an intense survival contest. With Powell’s portrayal of Richards shining a light on modern issues of truth manipulation and public perception, the film holds a mirror to current cultural dynamics.
Scheduled for release in theaters on November 14, audiences can expect a tense, thought-provoking experience that challenges notions of heroism, villainy, and the power of spectacle in a fractured society. As ratings soar within the film’s narrative, so does the danger, underscoring how entertainment can exploit human desperation.
Survive 30 days while the world hunts you down. Check out the New Poster for The #RunningManMovie – Only in theatres November 14. pic.twitter.com/A9n42B433j
— The Running Man Movie (@RunningManMovie) October 10, 2025
A new poster for Edgar Wright’s ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ has been released.
In theaters on November 14. pic.twitter.com/h4RLcblmzU
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) October 10, 2025
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the face of the $100 dollar bill in Edgar Wright’s ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ pic.twitter.com/zbj2cEYqJc
— Cinema Wire 🎥🎞️ (@CinemaWireNews) October 11, 2025
