Edgar Wright to revive "The Running Man" with Glen Powell leading
Edgar Wright, a celebrated British director, has taken the helm of the new adaptation of "The Running Man". After years of striving to make a name for himself, the remake of the 80s classic will star Glen Powell, who has finally gained recognition following his success in the film "Top Gun: Maverick". Critics agree that both the director and actor are facing a formidable challenge.
"The Running Man, " originally starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, was released in 1987. This dystopian science fiction movie was only loosely based on Stephen King's 1979 novel, published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.
Set 45 years in the past, the futuristic novel unfolds in 2025. Television dominates public thought, offering viewers increasingly crude entertainment. Society's vast divide exists between the elite and the lower social classes. Ben Richards, a desperate father, fights for his critically ill 18-month-old daughter's life. In need of money for her treatment, he enrols in an extreme reality show where only one contestant survives while the others are killed in front of millions of viewers.
In the 1987 movie, Ben Richards is portrayed as a policeman who is imprisoned for refusing to fire on starving individuals. The film and the book have numerous differences. The new adaptation aims to be more faithful to King's original story.
"I don't get that excited about a lot of them because they feel like sort of karaoke versions of the originals," – observes Wright, who has a knack for injecting originality into modern productions. His films, including "Shaun of the Dead", "Hot Fuzz", "Baby Driver", and "Last Night in Soho", attest to this.
In the latest version of "The Running Man", Glen Powell takes over from Arnold Schwarzenegger, riding the wave of his substantial success in "Top Gun: Maverick". He was also featured in the popular comedy "Set It Up", and fans can look forward to his roles in Richard Linklater's "Hit Man" and the disaster movie "Twisters". Taking on "The Running Man" will not be easy for Powell. Historically, remakes of Schwarzenegger's hits, such as "Conan the Barbarian 3D" starring Jason Momoa, "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell, and "The Executioner: Rebirth" featuring Dominic Sherwood, have not fared well.
