The first trailer for Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’ has dropped, and it’s a wild, pulse-pounding ride that promises to be one of the most electrifying releases of 2025. Wright, the creative genius behind cult favourites like ‘Shaun of the Dead’, ‘Hot Fuzz’, and ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’, is no stranger to genre-bending mayhem. But this marks his first return to adapting source material since Scott Pilgrim, and fans will spot his signature kinetic editing, razor-sharp humour, and musical flair all over this new film.
If the title rings a bell, that’s because ‘The Running Man’ was first a 1982 novel by Stephen King (writing under the alias of Richard Bachman), then a 1987 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Wright’s version is a whole new beast: he’s promised a much more faithful adaptation of King’s original, ditching the campy, biceps-and-boss-fights vibe of the Schwarzenegger film for a gritty, darkly satirical, and surprisingly emotional thriller.
Front and centre is Glen Powell, whose career is hotter than any Irish summer’s day. After stealing scenes in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, and charming audiences in ‘Anyone But You’, Powell now takes on the role of Ben Richards—a desperate everyman who enters the deadly game show to save his sick daughter.
The trailer, released today introduces us Powell’s Richards, blacklisted and broke, walking the rain-soaked streets in a hoodie, before being recruited by Josh Brolin’s menacing showrunner, Killian. The stakes? Survive 30 days while being hunted by the entire country, all for the world’s entertainment—and a shot at a billion-dollar prize.
WATCH THE TRAILER
OFFICIAL SUMMARY
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 favourite—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.