Glen Powell reveals that his upcoming remake of The Running Man has been approved by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Based on the Stephen King novel, the original dystopian sci-fi adaptation premiered in 1987 and has garnered mostly favorable reactions. Exploring a future, tyrannical United States, the story tracks Ben Richards (previously portrayed by Schwarzenegger), who appears on the eponymous game show and seeks freedom by evading ᴅᴇᴀᴅly adversaries. A remake of The Running Man, starring Powell, was announced in 2021 and is being directed by Edgar Wright of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Baby Driver.
During a recent interview with People, Powell revealed that Schwarzenegger gave the upcoming adaptation of The Running Man his “full blessing.” The actor explained that he got approval from having worked alongside Schwarzenegger on The Expendables 3 and because he and Patrick Schwarzenegger are friends. Powell also teased that the original star of The Running Man will get a “very specific fun gift from the movie.” Read more of Powell’s comments below:
Arnold gave us his blessing. 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 sH๏τ 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.
What This Means For The Running Man Remake
The Movie Can Stand On Its Own
Having approval from Schwarzenegger bodes well for The Running Man remake and suggests that it could become another successful King adaptation. The 1987 version generated slightly more than $38 million, but considering how recognizable Powell has become since appearing in Anyone But You and Twisters, his casting may prove beneficial for a higher box office. Also, while The Running Man has been well-received by audiences, there have been criticisms about how far it ventures from the source material.
Ahead of the November 7 premiere date, there have been some exciting updates surrounding The Running Man remake that could denote broad appeal. Powell previously told ScreenRant that Wright is incorporating his flair into the movie and shared a sense of enthusiasm over collaborating with the director. There is also a behind-the-scenes pH๏τo by Wright that teases an unexpected ending and previews what Powell may look like as Ben Richards. Along with Powell, The Running Man features a star-studded cast that includes Katy O’Brian, Lee Pace, Colman Domingo, Emilia Jones, Josh Brolin, and Michael Cera.
Our Take On The Running Man & Schwarzenegger’s Approval
It Should Only Help The Remake
With Schwarzenegger giving his approval to Powell and The Running Man, it may end up servicing the movie upon release, particularly when it comes to drawing fans of the 1987 adaptation. The upcoming remake will offer another telling of King’s novel, and while potentially very different from the Schwarzenegger-led film, generating a large audience is key. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if Schwarzenegger reacts to The Running Man and what his “gift” might be.
Source: People
