The first trailer from Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man has been released at CinemaCon. Based on a 1982 dystopian Stephen King novel of the same name, written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the story follows Ben Richards, a man at the end of his rope who has to enter a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly government-run game show to earn money for his family. The story was loosely adapted before in a 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Wright’s version of The Running Man promises to be more faithful to the source material and will release on November 7, 2025.

Paramount Pictures has now released the first teaser trailer for The Running Man during their presentation at CinemaCon in which ScreenRant is in attendance. Wright appeared onstage to introduce the movie, explaining the importance of the King adaptation in modern times:

[In the story] the media and the world have gone out of control. It’s worth mentioning that Stephen King’s original book was set in 2025.

Glen Powell, who plays the main character, Ben Richards, also arrived at the event, explaining how he’d “never worked harder on a movie in [his] life.” The first footage of the movie sees him getting recruited to join the тιтular gameshow by Josh Brolin’s producer character, Dan Killian, while also teasing Coleman Domingo’s host, Bobby Thompson, and plenty of action. The full description is included below:

Teaser begins with Powell’s character Ben Richards in an alleyway. Brolin recruits him to join The Running Man gameshow to help save his family who are struggling. Brolin believes Richards can win. Domingo’s host then provides a voice over, “The thrill of the hunt sharpens your sensors.” We see Richards and other contestants train in the gym, being shocked by an electro-stick, etc. “This is American goddamnit and we don’t put up with no bullsh*t,” Domingo’s host shouts in to the camera, with an audience behind him. We see several action sH๏τs after that. “Stop filming me!” Richards yells into the camera after he manages to escape one of the people chasing him.

One scene shows the pilot of a plane starts shooting in the cockpit, then it cuts to Richards running through an apartment building, sliding into an elevator. The person chasing him kicks a grenade into the elevator, but Richards manages to survive it. “I’m still here, you sh*t eaters,” Richards says, again into a camera. We then see another contestant luring a swat-type team into a trap. He uses a water gun to shoot the ground and electrocute the team.

What The Running Man’s New Footage Says About The Remake

Expect Plenty Of Action With Strong Performances

Based on the movie’s description, it seems like the remake is maintaining faithfulness to the original novel, with Ben getting hunted in various locations as he participates in the тιтular games. The cast of The Running Man was also shown off for the first time, emphasizing the importance of Powell, Brolin, and Domingo as the key actors in the movie. Other cast members will also include Katy O’Brian and Daniel Ezra as fellow contestants, Karl Glusman and Lee Pace as hunters, and Michael Cera, Emily Jones, and William H. Macy being people Ben meets as he tries to survive.

While the independent, rebellious nature Ben displays is reminiscent of Schwarzenegger’s 1987 adaptation, it also comes with some differences that help make it stand out from the first movie. The use of planes and grenades implies a more grounded reality to the games, something reflective of the darker tone of the original novel. It also seems like the contestants are willing to do whatever it takes to survive, such as the one leading a SWAT-like team to their deaths. It means the protagonist will need to fight if he wants to win the game and make it out alive.

Our Take On The Running Man’s New Footage

A Strong Indicator Of How Different It Will Be

The footage of The Running Man illustrates how this version of the movie will stand out, diving deeper into the games in ways explored in King’s novel. The journey Powell’s character embarks upon will be different than that of Schwarzenegger’s version, with his efforts to survive emphasized by creative action scenes and a mistrust of the games themselves. With the movie just starting to take shape with this first footage, it won’t be long until an even closer look at its story gets revealed.

The Running Man arrives in theaters on November 7, 2025.

Source: Paramount Pictures