Glen Powell might have a star turn ahead of him, but even he admits that getting the seal of approval from Stephen King isn’t for the faint-hearted. At New York Comic Con, the actor revealed how his casting as Ben Richards in Edgar Wright’s upcoming remake of The Running Man came down to a nerve-racking wait for King himself to sign off. Wright, known for his distinct mix of style and intensity, offered Powell the part – but there was a catch. “Edgar told me, ‘You’re in, but Stephen King has to approve you,’” Powell recalled. 
“He’s watching Hit Man tonight.” The next twelve hours, the actor said, were pure torture.
Powell joked that he barely slept that night, waiting to learn whether King would give his blessing. “It’s terrible waiting for Stephen King to watch your movie,” he said, laughing. The anxiety paid off, though – King reportedly loved Hit Man and approved Powell for the role. That approval carried serious weight, considering The Running Man is one of King’s most politically charged and prophetic works. First published in 1982 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the novel tells the story of Ben Richards, a desperate man forced to participate in a state-run game show where contestants are hunted by professional killers for a massive cash prize. The new adaptation promises to be far more faithful to the dark tone and social commentary of the book than the 1987 film version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which turned the dystopian premise into a flashy action flick.
Director Edgar Wright, co-writing with Michael Bacall, is reportedly infusing the movie with the grit and urgency that defined Bachman-era King. The cast joining Powell includes Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Josh Brolin, Daniel Ezra, and Jayme Lawson – a lineup that suggests a serious tonal shift from the camp energy of the original. Wright’s vision appears closer to King’s original rage-filled story about media manipulation, economic despair, and survival under an authoritarian regime. As one fan put it online, “The book’s anger is what made it powerful – I hope this one keeps that edge.”
Powell’s version of Ben Richards could embody more of the everyman vulnerability that King’s readers remember, rather than the muscle-bound invincibility of Schwarzenegger’s interpretation. Whether Wright’s The Running Man will capture that grim, morally fraught spirit remains to be seen – but it’s clear both the director and King are on the same page. The movie is set to sprint into theaters on November 14, 2025, marking a long-awaited return to one of King’s most haunting dystopias.
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schwarzenegger version was mid, hoping this one finally does king justice