Before Glen Powell could officially suit up for Edgar Wright’s upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, there was one major hurdle standing in his way… the King of Horror himself.
During a panel at New York Comic Con (via People), Powell revealed that Wright offered him the lead role of Ben Richards, but the deal came with a surprising condition. Powel said:
“Edgar offered me this movie, and I was like, ‘Yes.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s go…’ And then, like, later that night [Edgar says], ‘By the way, like, you have to be approved by Stephen King. He’s gonna watch Hit Man tonight.’”
That sent Powell into a long, nerve-wracking night.
“And so I had to wait overnight for Stephen King to watch Hit Man and hope that I still had the role in the morning. It’s terrible”
Luckily, King ended up loving Hit Man, the 2023 romantic crime comedy directed by Richard Linklater, and gave his blessing for Powell to take on the role.
In The Running Man, Powell stars as Ben, a desperate working-class man who enters a deadly game show to help his sick daughter. Contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with their every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty audience. Each day survived means more cash if they live long enough to collect it.
King’s 1982 novel was first brought to the big screen in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead, but Wright told fans that his version will be “more faithful to the book” while updating the story for modern times.
Powell teased how Wright’s vision amplifies the tension of King’s story, saying:
“The coolest part about this [film] that I’m just really excited about is Edgar decided to take this [story] — loyal to the book — out in the real world.
“Citizens can record [and] report you. They can take you out. So there’s this sort of, like, ever-present feeling of tension that’s throughout the entire movie. It’s relentless.”
With Wright behind the camera, King’s approval, and Powell stepping into a role once played by an action legend, this new take on The Running Man is shaping up to be one of the most exciting sci-fi thrillers on the horizon.
The Running Man races into theaters on November 14 via Paramount Pictures.
