Edgar Wright’s dystopian, media-enthralled hellscape looks like a real good time.
Maybe there’s some irony involved in this final trailer for The Running Man highlighting how much fun the whole exercise promises to be. After all, Edgar Wright‘s adaptation Stephen King’s mean little sci-fi novel is set in a fascist United States whose downtrodden populace are numbed by a never-ending stream of increasingly violent and lurid media, rendering them oblivious to the yoke that sits so heavily upon their necks. And here we are, looking forward to this piece of violent and lurid media, oblivious to…
…ah, I’m probably overthinking it.
The Running Man Trailer
What’s the plot?
As the official synopsis helpfully informs us…
“In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward.
“Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort.
“But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.”
Who’s in it?
- Glen Powell as everyman hero Ben Richards.
- Josh Brolin as slimy show producer Dan Killian.
- Colman Domingo having all the fun as the host of The Running Man, Bobby Thompson.
- Lee Pace as hunter Evan McCone.
- Jayme Lawson as Sheila Richards, Ben’s wife.
- Michael Cera as rebel Elton Parrakis, who’s handy with a water blaster.
- Emilia Jones as Amelia Williams, a civilian hostage.
- William H. Macy as a man who helps Richards.
- David Zayas as Richard Manuel.
- Katy O’Brian as Laughlin, a contestant. Probably doomed.
- Daniel Ezra as a contestant. As above.
When’s it out?
The Running Man sprints into Australian cinemas on November 13, 2025.
What’s the vibe?
Definitely intrigued. While Wright’s take on The Running Man is clearly more beholden to the novel (for one thing, Richards isn’t a cop), there are definite elements of the ’87 adaptation’s prime time razzamatazz. Just look at Colman Domingo’s host. The big question, of course, is whether they’re going to do the book’s ending (IYKYK). and looking at the plane sequences in this new trailer, if they’re not doing it, they’re certainly getting right up next to it…
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