Glen Powell is fired up to star in the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, and I’m hyped to see him. During the early part of the year, Powell was in London filming the upcoming Edgar Wright movie, and the first look footage was shared at CinemaCon. The film, while based on a book, is also a remake of the 1987 film of the same name starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. With that, Powell actually reached out to Schwarzenegger to get his “blessing” on the movie, and I find the notion of anyone doing that extremely nerve-wracking.
While promoting his new condiment line, Smash Kitchen, Powell spoke with People, and he also spoke about The Running Man. The movie, which has added Coleman Domingo to the cast along with Josh Brolin, is set to be a spectacle, and it has a skilled director behind the camera. As for how Arnold Schwarzenegger feels about the upcoming remake, Powell explained that he’s on board:
Arnold gave us his blessing. [His son] Patrick Schwarzenegger is a great friend of mine and I asked Patrick if I could talk to Arnold and I hadn’t seen Arnold since we shot Expendables in Bulgaria. … Arnold gave us his full blessing and we get to give Arnold a very specific fun gift from the movie in a couple of weeks here. So I’m very excited to see him.
Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that Patrick Schwarzenegger and Glen Powell are friends. After all, they’re relatively close in age and both rising stars in Hollywood.
On the whole, though, Powell’s connection with the younger Schwarzenegger and his work on Expendables 3 with Arnold probably made it a bit easier to ask the veteran actor for his blessing. I’m happy to hear that the Terminator star was happy to give it. Powell will likely bring a different energy to the role of Ben Richards than Schwarzenegger did, but I think that’s a good thing. That paired with Edgar Wright‘s keen filmmaking sensibilities should ensure that this films feels unique compared its 1987 counterpart.
Aside from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s blessing, The Running Man also has a release date marked on the 2025 movie schedule. Edgar Wright has been comparing Powell’s performance to Bruce Willis in Die Hard, which is some high praise and may give us an idea of what the collaborators are going for with their Ben Richards. After Powell’s big year in 2024, it will be exciting to see him bring more charm and charisma to the big screen. Should he remain on this trajectory, he may solidify himself as a true blockbuster star just as Arnold Schwarzenegger rose to prominence in the 80s.
You can see Glen Powell in The Running Man when the film finally hits theaters on November 7, 2025. In the meantime, make sure to check out Powell’s best movies and TV performances Fans can also revisit the original Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Running Man film by streaming it now with a Paramount+ subscription.