‘The deadliest game of hide and seek’: Edgar Wright’s new thriller is already giving danger vibes
My most anticipated film of 2025 is Edgar Wright’s version of The Running Man, based on the Stephen King novel. Now, in a first look for Empire Magazine, we have a bit more of an idea of what to expect from this adaptation.
Wright is adapting King’s work that was originally published under his pen name back in 1982. The film stars Glen Powell as Ben Richards, a man fighting for his family and putting himself in a game called “The Running Man” where he is hunted for sport and can win money if he survives the entire game.
In Empire‘s new issue for the upcoming film Thunderbolts*, Wright spoke with the outlet about what appealed to him with The Running Man in the first place. “One of the things about the book that I loved was the fact that Ben Richards is out in the world on his own, so it’s like the deadliest game of hide and seek,” he said.
The thing about The Running Man is that much of the book is featured on Ben Richards running for the show, which Wright says makes it feel like he’s making a “road movie” but clarified “a very intense, dangerous road movie.” Wright went on to talk about all the different people that Ben meets throughout the film. “Ben is moving through different environments and meeting different people as he tries to survive 30 days out in the wild.”
When it came to casting Powell, Wright told the outlet why he wanted him for Richards. “I felt it was important to see somebody who hadn’t really done something like this before. It’s similar to Bruce Willis, when he was still the guy from Moonlighting, before he did Die Hard, where that adds to the suspense. Can they make it?”
A story of desperation
What is appealing about The Running Man as a story is rooted in Ben’s desperation to help his family. His daughter needs him, his wife is alone, and he has to survive to get them as much money as possible. If anyone was going to bring this story to life in a nuanced and fascinating way, it’d be Wright.
The book and the original film, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, are very different from one another so part of the allure of the Edgar Wright’s take on the film is that we might end up getting an adaption closer to what King originally wrote.
But, as with much of Wright’s work, I trust that it is going to be a brilliant take on the story. Look, there isn’t an Edgar Wright movie I dislike and there are too many things working in The Running Man‘s favor to make me think otherwise. But we don’t have much information on the movie outside of casting, a few set pictures, and now this interview.
Until we know more, it is exciting that the press for the film is kicking up a bit because I’m ready to watch Ben Richards in the game!
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