featured Interview

Interview: Edgar Wright Talks ‘The Running Man,’ Paying Homage to Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Getting Stephen King’s Seal of Approval

November 14, 2025Ben MK




With films like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Edgar Wright is no stranger to having his movies beloved by legions of fans. Whether it's a rom-com set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, a gory spoof of police action thrillers, or an adaptation of an iconic Canadian graphic novel, Wright's films can always be counted on to carve out their own cinematic niche, thanks to the 51-year-old director's distinctive fusion of action, comedy and horror, not to mention his love for needle drops. It's a trademark filmmaking style that has served Wright well over the course of his three-decade-long career, especially since going on to exploring other genres, such as with the 2021 documentary, The Sparks Brothers. But with his latest movie, Wright is going back to his longtime affinity for the tales of Stephen King, as he brings to the screen what could be considered the definitive adaptation of King's 1982 novel, The Running Man.

I caught up with Edgar Wright to chat about making The Running Man, Stephen King's involvement in the project, and the timeliness of this new adaptation, as well as to find out why Glen Powell was the perfect choice for taking over a role once played by the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The original adaptation of The Running Man is a film that's very much a product of the '80s, and is markedly different from Stephen King's 1982 novel. Why did you want to adapt the story in a way that's more faithful to the source material, and why was now the right time to do so?

Wright: I had read the original novel when it was republished as The Bachman Books, when I was probably 14. And I'd actually read the book before I saw the 1987 film, so I was well aware how different it was. And so, I think, being a Stephen King fan, I'd always had in the back of my mind that there was an entirely different movie in the source material. So, that was really the whole reason for doing it. And the idea of adapting it now, especially given that the original book was set in 2025 — it seemed like there's no better time to make this movie.

I understand that you and Stephen King have been talking on and off ever since Shaun of the Dead. Did he have any input when it came to making this new adaptation?

Wright: The big thing was that he had to sign off on the script. And so that was a really nerve-racking, huge moment for myself and Michael Bacall, because Stephen was gonna read it. And we knew he had reservations about the previous adaptation. So, it was really encouraging how much he loved it. And also that he loved what we kept and he loved what we changed. So, that was enormously encouraging as we went into the shoot.

Of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in the original The Running Man. And in this movie, he has a cameo in the form of a bank note. Were there ever plans to have a bigger cameo for him?

Wright: No, but he was very generous to give us the photo approval for that detail. So, it was very sweet. He's been very supportive of the film, and he's seen it now and loves it, which is great. But to use his image in the movie, obviously, I had to send him a very nice letter. And then eventually we spoke, and he's been great.

Glen Powell does a fantastic job filling Arnold's big shoes as the main protagonist this time around. Was he always the actor you envisioned as playing Ben Richards? And was there an aspect of his performance that really stood out for you and that really solidified him as that character?

Wright: We had been working on the screenplay since maybe late 2021. So, Glen didn't really come into the picture until the film started to gather momentum early last year, actually, when Paramount were saying we should make this this year. And when Glen's name came up for it, I had been a fan of his, and I had actually met Glen before. And I really loved him, especially in the Richard Linklater films, like Hit Man. I just felt he's the right guy for this movie. The fact that he wasn't already like a really established action hero just made him the perfect Ben Richards. Because you want to feel excited and nervous about him being in the game, because he needs to be completely out of his depth. I think that's a key part of the adaptation.

Is there a scene in this film that's a favorite of yours, or that was especially memorable to shoot?

Wright: All of the film was very ambitious to do. The scenes with Michael Cera were fun to do, because Glen and Michael Cera was comic gold. And then also the game show sequences, with Colman Domingo and all the extras, and dancing girls and fire, and people hurling abuse at Glen — [those were] really memorable days of shooting.

Last but not least, The Running Man may be a big, fun action blockbuster, but the picture of the world it paints isn't too dissimilar from our own. What do you want audiences to take away from it?

Wright: It's designed to be an exciting sci-fi action film, but also with plenty to chew on on the way home. So I think if people enjoy it and it gives them a lot to think about, then great.
The Running Man is in theaters now.




You May Also Like

0 comments