Glen Powell takes on a deadly game of survival in Edgar Wright’s explosive sci-fi thriller
Paramount Pictures has unleashed a thrilling new look at The Running Man, Edgar Wright’s upcoming sci-fi action blockbuster starring Glen Powell. The freshly released second trailer teases a relentless, high-stakes chase through a dystopian world where survival is the ultimate prize.
Based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Running Man imagines a grim future where the government controls the media and desperate citizens compete in a televised blood sport. Contestants, known as “Runners,” must evade professional killers in a deadly game show for 30 days — all for the promise of freedom and fortune.
Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a man driven by love and desperation. Richards volunteers for the brutal contest, hoping the winnings will save his sick child and rescue his family from poverty. As the trailer reveals, what awaits him is a nightmare of lethal traps, ruthless hunters, and a cheering audience that treats death as entertainment.
The latest footage, which dropped on 13 October, offers fans their most explosive glimpse yet of Wright’s reimagining. The trailer opens with Powell’s defiant stare and the chilling voiceover: “You know why they cheer for you down there? Because if you can survive against those goons, so can they.” From there, chaos erupts — flamethrowers ignite, explosions thunder, and the camera whips through a labyrinth of danger as Richards fights back against overwhelming odds.
The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Katy O’Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Jayme Lawson, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Sean Hayes, and Colman Domingo. Each plays a role within Wright’s vividly realised dystopia — from media puppeteers to deadly Hunters tasked with taking Richards down.
This adaptation marks the second cinematic take on King’s novel, following the 1987 cult classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, Wright’s version promises a darker, more politically charged vision that aligns more closely with King’s original tone — a scathing critique of entertainment culture, authoritarianism, and human desperation.
The director, known for genre-defining hits such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Baby Driver, brings his signature energy and wit to the film. Wright co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street), ensuring a sharp balance between spectacle and satire.
Fans of Wright’s work will recognise his kinetic editing, pulse-pounding sound design, and ironic humour throughout the trailer. But there’s also a heavier undercurrent — one that questions how far society will go for spectacle and control.
The film’s visual design is striking: neon-lit arenas, holographic propaganda, and mechanical death traps evoke both nostalgia for 1980s sci-fi and a warning about modern media manipulation. “This is the best trailer yet,” one critic noted online. “The traps look insane, the tension feels real, and Glen Powell looks like he’s having the time of his life.”
Powell, fresh off the success of Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You, continues his ascent as one of Hollywood’s most versatile leading men. His portrayal of Ben Richards looks to blend charisma, vulnerability, and raw determination — a perfect fit for Wright’s intense, satirical world.
The Running Man is produced by Edgar Wright, Nira Park, and Simon Kinberg under Genre Films and Complete Fiction. Paramount will release the film in cinemas worldwide on 14 November 2025, just in time for the autumn box office rush.With its mix of explosive action, social commentary, and dark humour, The Running Man looks poised to be one of the year’s most talked-about sci-fi releases.