Edgar Wright is reimagining the cult dystopian thriller The Running Man for a new generation, set to hit theaters on November 7 via Paramount Pictures.
A modern reimagining of the 1982 Stephen King novel (originally published under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman), The Running Man is set in a not-so-distant dystopian future where a brutal, government-sanctioned game show turns real people into prey for sport and spectacle.
Contestants, known as “Runners,” must survive for 30 days while being hunted by a rotating cast of lethal assassins, all under the gaze of a bloodthirsty public glued to their screens.
The official synopsis states:
“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.”
Powell plays Ben Richards, a working-class man driven to join the deadly game in a desperate bid to afford care for his gravely ill daughter. But what begins as a last resort quickly evolves into a national phenomenon as Richards becomes an unlikely fan favorite and a threat to the corrupt media machine behind the scenes.
Colman Domingo joins the cast as Bobby Thompson, the magnetic and menacing game show host who thrives on chaos and spectacle. The cast also stars Daniel Ezra, Lee Pace, David Zayas and Katy O’Brian.
Director Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho) is the director while the screenplay is co-written by Wright and Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street.
The Running Man hits theaters on November 7. Check out the trailer below.
