Fresh off of his success reviving two other franchises, Glen Powell’s ready to do it again asThe Running Manlands its release date. Development on the new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel has been steadily gaining steam over the past year when Powell was cast to lead the film, which is being directed by Edgar Wright on a script fromJump Streetalum Michael Bacall. Powell previously confirmed in late August 2024 thatThe Running Manremakewould begin filming in November, though no exact date was confirmed.
Now,Paramount Pictureshas officially givenThe Running Mana release date. The movie, which marks the second adaptation of Stephen King’s sci-fi thriller novel,is set to hit theaters on Jul 18, 2025. This will not only put the remake in theaters just over 28 years after the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led original was released, but also roughly a year after filming began, as it’s currently set to start shooting in November 2024.
In addition to the running date,The Hollywood Reporterhas brought word thatKaty O’Brian has joined the cast ofThe Running Man. O’Brian has been on an upward trend of popularity in recent years, namely with her supporting role in bothThe Mandalorianseasons 2 and 3 as Elia Kane, followed by her critically acclaimed turn in the romantic thrillerLove Lies Bleedingalongside Kristen Stewart and supporting role inTwisters, thus reuniting her with Powell from the 2024 legacy sequel. O’Brian is said to be starring inThe Running Manas one of the contestants in the titular violent game show.
The Running Manisone of multiple movies Paramount is toying with on their 2025 release calendar, as the studio has also set the true-story based dramaSeptember 5to an awards season limited release on November 29 followed by wide release on December 13. Other titles moving include Bryan Bertino’s horror return,Vicious, moving up from August 8 to February 28, the animatedSmurfsmusical movie being pushed back from Valentine’s Day to July 18, and the Liam Neeson-ledNaked Gunreboot moving from July 18 to August 1.
What This Means For The Running Man
Powell’s Remake Is Facing A Very Contested Box Office
While the news of the movie finally landing a release date is sure to be exciting for those who have eagerly awaited it,The Running Man’s date puts it in a heated box office competition. Though typically a month for awards hopefuls, November 2025 currently has a number of blockbuster productions scheduled to be released then, includingthe long-gestating Marvel Cinematic UniverseBladerebootandZootopia 2, with Powell’s remake facingWicked Part Twoon the same weekend. See the current November 2025 release calendar in the chart below:
Zootopia 2
November 26
November 2025 may be a highly contested ground for theatrical releases, but there are a variety of reasons whyThe Running Mancould still come out on top. One of the biggest is the fact thatPowell has enjoyed a string of back-to-back hits over the past few years, with 2022’sDevotionbeing the sole standout in regard to its financial underperformance, even as it gained rave reviews. With the combined hits ofTop Gun: Maverick,Hit Manand legacy sequelTwisters, his leading the charge will certainly be a draw for viewers.
3 Legacy Sequels Glen Powell Could Lead After Twisters
Glen Powell is a widely-recognized actor after films like Twisters and Top Gun: Maverick, meaning he could bring attention to other legacy sequels.
The other reason is that its direct competition,Wicked Part Two, is a risk that has not fully paid off yet for Universal Pictures. The first movie is pitting itself againstthe long-awaited release ofGladiator IIin November of this year, not to mention facing lofty expectations to match the cultural icon nature of the stage musical it’s adapting. Should the firstWickedprove to be underwhelming for both critics and audiences,The Running Mancould easily sprint pastPart Twoat the box office next year.
Our Take On The Running Man’s Release Date & New Casting
O’Brian’s A Fantastic Addition & A Loaded Box Office Will Be No Issue
The combined update of a release date and expanded cast forThe Running Mancertainly instills a lot of faith in me about the project, particularly O’Brian’s addition. Powell has teased that Wright is staying generally faithful to King’s book while adding his own “fun” flavor to the source material, but O’Brian’s casting report confirming she will be a contestant in the titular game showseems to point towards it taking a similar formula to Schwarzenegger’s movie adapts King’s world.
In the source novel, protagonist Ben Richards never directly interacts with any other contestants, whereas inSchwarzenegger’sThe Running Man, he and two other contestants were sent to a game zone at the same time. Unless O’Brian’s contestant is one Powell’s character never directly interacts with, and is instead shown in a concurrent story, having her and Richards work together could actually prove a powerful and fresh take on the anti-capitalist themes of the book. It would also go a long way to ensuring thata female character is given far more agencythan the ones seen in both King’s book and Schwarzenegger’s movie.
10 Ways Edgar Wright’s The Running Man Remake Will Be Different From Schwarzenegger’s Version
Edgar Wright is directing an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, which will be completely unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 version.
As for its release date, I really don’t seeThe Running Manencountering too many issues to find at least a modest success at the box office, even with its contested release date.Twisters' box officeis the best example of why Powell’s remake could easily be a hit, as it only had one weekend to try and overtakeDespicable Me 4and get ahead ofDeadpool & Wolverine, and while it may not have surpassed either movie at the global box office by the end of its run, it did still bring in an impressive $370 million and maintains the No. 5 spot on the highest-grossing films of 2024 at the domestic box office.
The Running Man
Cast
The Running Man is a dystopian action film set in a 2017 totalitarian state where the government uses deadly game shows to control the populace. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a framed convict navigating the lethal challenges of the televised spectacle The Running Man, hosted by the relentless Damon Killian.
