Stephen King’s Long-Awaited Remake Gets Top Gun Star

Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name (originally written under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman), The Running Man was first adapted to film in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring as the lead character, Ben Richards.

Glen Powell will play the role of Richards in the Paramount Pictures The Running Man reboot. Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) will be directing and producing the new film alongside Nira Park and Simon Kinberg. 

Luckily, Paramount has already had a chance to build rapport with Glen Powell before pitching The Running Man, as his cocky young pilot performance in Top Gun: Maverick opened doors for the 35-year-old star and spawned a massive upswing in his career.

Top Gun: Maverick grossed nearly $1.5 billion (with a B) in theaters worldwide. 

Glen Powell’s new role in the upcoming remake of Stephen King’s The Running Man centers around Ben Richards, a struggling father in a backward position who decides to participate in a dark reality show called The Running Man, hoping to win enough money to provide proper medical care for his sick daughter … and clear his name, of course. 

The United States (in the story, of course) has become a totalitarian police state after a worldwide economic collapse. The government uses brash and violent television shows to pacify the people, and The Running Man is their most popular show.

Glen Powell will have some big shoes to fill with this acting gig, as The Running Man is a not-so-subtle nod to Richard Connell’s legendary story, The Most Dangerous Game.

Contestants on the show are all “criminals,” and they are made to “run” for their lives, fleeing armed mercenaries called “stalkers.” If you win, you get a government pardon for your crimes and a dreamy tropical vacation, but no one ever wins. 

The action and tension potential for the film are palpable. Let’s hope Glen Powell takes the time to bulk up a bit before jumping into his Running Man leotard. You don’t want to get caught looking small against what Schwarzenegger had to offer in the ‘80s film version of the story. 

Glen Powell is certainly not out of practice when it comes to honing his acting chops, so expect to see quality work on The Running Man reboot.

The busybody most recently dropped Anyone But You, which grossed over $200 million at the box office worldwide.

He will soon be seen in the upcoming flick Hitman (working alongside Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater), and he’ll show his face on screen once again when this summer’s much-anticipated film Twisters hits theaters on July 19, 2024. 

Not much is known about who will star alongside Glen Powell in The Running Man remake, but the pieces of the puzzle are looking good so far.

There’s also no news available on when the movie will be completed and out in theaters, so just keep an eye out for more information in the future. 

Source: Deadline