Stephen King movies are often some of the biggest genre films that up-and-coming and established actors can be part of. Over the years, we’ve seen everyone from Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Johnny Depp jump aboard one of Hollywood’s adaptations of the author’s works. It’s no surprise that King’s movies continue to attract major talent.

In the last few years, stars such as Mark Hamill, Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Zac Efron, Sophie Thatcher, and Theo James have been involved in movies using King’s writing as a source material. Stephen King’s upcoming movies will add to that list, with Glen Powell being the latest notable name to headline an adaptation.

Powell is attached as the lead of Edgar Wright’s remake of The Running Man. He’s taking over the lead role of Ben Richards, previously played by Schwarzenegger in 1987. The Running Man is coming out this November, and the combination of its leading man, director, and source material makes it wildly exciting.

Yet, the new Stephen King movie is also a big test for Powell. He was cast in the movie in August 2024, following hit after hit, either critically or financially (or both in several cases). It positioned Glen Powell as Hollywood’s next go-to A-list star, and that makes The Running Man a huge test for him.

Glen Powell Has Become A Box Office Star In Recent Years

Twisters Was A Big Test Case

I’ve been a fan of Powell’s for years thanks to Everybody Wants Some!! and hoped he’d one day break out in a huge capacity as a box office star. While he was a supporting player in financial hits like The Dark Knight Rises, The Expendables 3, and Hidden Figures, none of those movies really succeeded financially because of him.

The true origin of Glen Powell as a box office star begins with Top Gun: Maverick. That movie might belong to Tom Cruise, but Powell stole the show for many viewers. He immediately became someone audiences wanted to see more of. Judging by Top Gun: Maverick‘s $1.4 billion performance, more people got to see his charisma than ever before.

This immediately connected to the success of his and Sydney Sweeney’s rom-com, Anyone But You. The movie, released the following Christmas, had a strong viral marketing campaign, boosted by internet curiosity about a real love blooming between the co-stars.

Anyone But You didn’t look like a potential box office hit upon its release, as its opening weekend tanked. Yet, the movie had incredibly strong legs and played very well internationally, allowing it to finish with a $220 million box office total.

Anyone But You was Powell’s first real box office hit as a lead or co-lead. While Hit Man didn’t get the chance to be a box office performer after Netflix bought the acclaimed romance/comedy/thriller, the actor maintained his momentum in theaters with Twisters‘ release last July.

He headlined the continuation of the Twister franchise with Daisy Edgar-Jones. His appeal with audiences undoubtedly played a part in Twisters making $372 million worldwide. It was on the back of Twisters‘ box office success that Powell then got the lead role in The Running Man.

The Running Man Is A Big Test For Glen Powell At The Box Office

Can He Be A Hit-Making Man Again?

It’s clear from the timing of Powell’s casting in The Running Man that his box office run is a big reason why he got the part. He’s a very talented and charming actor who can do action, romance, and more, but Paramount is certainly counting on him to put ʙuттs in seats this November.

The paper pitch for The Running Man would leave many to ᴀssume it would have a simple path to success. A rising star like Powell, the sci-fi genre, and utilizing the work of someone as renowned as King sounds like a good start for any movie to become a hit, as long as its good.

Yet, Stephen King movies don’t have the best track record at the box office. 2019’s It: Chapter Two is the last one to be an undeniable financial success. The other movies that have come recently have not done that well, even when they have rave reviews, a big-name star, and a known director, as was the case for The Life of Chuck.

That makes The Running Man a pivotal moment for Powell in his quest to become a legitimate box office draw. There is plenty of room for the movie to go wrong and not live up to box office expectations. Even Schwarzenegger’s The Running Man only managed to make $38 million almost 40 years ago.

The performance of 2025’s The Running Man doesn’t solely rest on Powell’s shoulders. He’s got a great cast around him. Paramount’s marketing campaign will play a big role too, as will Wright’s direction. But, the movie is certainly going to be sold around Powell first and foremost.

That is why the film’s box office performance could be so telling regarding how bright Glen Powell’s star is shining. If The Running Man crushes it at the box office, he’ll be a certified A-list star Hollywood can lean on for many more blockbuster hits to come.

There’s no information on what The Running Man needs to make at the box office to be a guaranteed hit, but a $200 million gross or above should do the trick.

Hollywood Is Counting On Glen Powell To Achieve A-List Status

He’s Got A Lot Of Upcoming Movies

While The Running Man is still months away from having its fate determined, Hollywood isn’t waiting to see how the movie does. The industry has already anointed Glen Powell as the next go-to, under-40 male movie star who can carry major productions and drive people to theaters.

Powell has a number of big projects in various stages of development for after The Running Man. He’s already filming a new sci-fi movie with J.J. Abrams. He’s also set to headline a new comedy thriller from Emily the Criminal‘s director. Powell also has a John Lee Hancock legal thriller, a Barry Jenkins sci-fi thriller, a Judd Apatow comedy, and a Ron Howard firefighter movie in development.

The rising star is also set to come back for Top Gun 3 and reprise his role as Hangman. He’s also likely to be part of a Twisters sequel, which has yet to be officially announced, but should happen. Powell also has an erotic thriller in development at Legendary. That gives Glen Powell nine upcoming movies of various genres.

It’s clear that Hollywood believes Glen Powell will achieve A-list status and become one of the rare modern movie stars. All these movies are hoping to capitalize on one of the H๏τtest names in the industry to help them all become successful. Now it’s up to Powell to deliver, and I really hope he does.

There’s almost no world where every single one of these delivers. Everyone, even an A-lister, has box office disappointments for one reason or another. Powell just needs to make sure his hits are more common than his misses. If he can do that, he’ll be the star Hollywood is desperately looking for and be well-positioned for continued success.

The Running Man Needs To Break A 6-Year Streak To Be A Box Office Hit

Stephen King Movies Have Had A Rough Run

Circling back around to The Running Man, the movie’s chances of easily topping box office charts and solidifying Glen Powell’s status are not guaranteed. It’ll need to do what Stephen King movies haven’t done in six years to have a realistic path to success.

That’s because it’s been that long since a Stephen King movie made over $100 million at the box office. Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep came the closest, but it still topped out at $72 million worldwide. That wasn’t great considering the movie cost $45 million to make.

In fact, only one Stephen King movie has been financially profitable since 2019’s It: Chapter Two. That movie was this year’s horror comedy The Monkey, which made $68 million off a smartly reduced $10 million budget.

It’s unconfirmed what The Running Man‘s budget is at the moment. Edgar Wright’s movies are usually modestly priced, with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World his only production over $50 million, so there’s a good chance he and Paramount kept this sci-fi King movie well under $100 million.

That’d be great for the film if Powell can help it become the first Stephen King adaptation to make over nine figures at the box office this decade. If The Running Man goes well beyond that total, then Hollywood should feel safe about all the stock they’ve put in Glen Powell’s stardom.