During the 2025 New York Comic Con, Director and co-writer, Edgar Wright came to discuss his upcoming film, RUNNING MAN along with lead, GLEN POWELL and co-star, LEE PACE.
Based closer to the 1982 book written by Stephen King than the 1987 film version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edgar explained that the book take place in 2025 and the tagline is, “the best men don’t run for president, they run for their lives,” (the ’87 film took place in the late 2010s). Darker and more bleak, Edgar thought now is a good time to bring the story back in the big screen.
Other differences from the ’87 film from the book is that the book makes the competition take place in the real world, not constrained in a set. That bothered a young Edgar, wondering why the filmmakers chose to constrain the story that way. “But after filming 180 locations, I realized those filmmakers were smart.” He also shared a fun story that he called Schwarzenegger that they are doing remake and want to put his face on currency. Schwarzenegger asked for which bill and Edgar replied, “for the 100 and Arnold said he was very happy with that.”
The film also has Josh Brolin playing another villain along with Pace’s assassin. “I don’t know if anyone else is better at playing a bad guy than Josh Brolin. Except you, Lee!” Glen corrects himself quickly.
And it reunites Edgar with Michael Cera which he said was a delight while Glen said it was fun to see them reminisce about their time working on SCOTT PILGRIM.
Katie O’Brien and Martin Herlihy join Glen Powell’s character as other people playing the game. “The way Katie reacts to emanate death is so much fun and Martin is also so great and a blast!” Glen shared. He also said to look out for Daniel Ezra who has been on several tv shows but this is his first film role.
Of course, THE RUNNING MAN is a game show in this story so you need a host and they have none other than Coleman Domingo playing that host in this film. All of them agreed that Coleman is a born performer. “We were filming when he had his BAFTA nomination announced and the audience went wild for him. Even when we weren’t rolling, the audience would keep chanting for Coleman’s character, Bobby T!” shared Edgar and Glen.
As a prank, Edgar would ask the audience extras their thoughts on Coleman which would get a great big cheer, then would ask the audience their thoughts on Josh Brolin (to be clear, he means the character but still) and they would just yell, “BOO!!” to which Josh said, “I have never felt more emasculated.”
Lee shared that he looks forward to seeing the finished edits of Emilia Jones’ work in the film. He had only a few scenes with her in this but loved working with her and her previous work like in CODA.
The questions turned to each other. Glen is in pretty much every scene so it was very hard on him. “Glen is a dream collaborator because it was an exhausting shoot and if he wasn’t such a hard worker, it would have made it so much harder on all of us.” Edgar said with Lee quickly adding, ‘Glen also could still joke with you on set and make it lighter on set when we all could easily be so crabby. It was great having him there (and be the lead).”
Glen put his down in humbleness and just put his mic to say, “I love you, guys.” We were then introduced to a long clip of a chase scene where Glen Powell is in nothing but a towel trying to escape multiple assassins, including Lee Pace. It was impressive, to say the least.
Afterward the clip, Edgar said, “Glen went into the best shape of his life while I was at my worst.” Edgar shared that this was the first time for him as a filmmaker that he had made a film in at least three countries: London, England, Glasgow, Scotland, and Sofia, Bulgaria. Glen did point out, “You had me do an outdoor scene in that towel in negative 10 degrees Farenheit in a night shoot in Bulgaria, no one looks good in a just a towel in that kind of weather!” Lee, Edgar, and the audience all disagreed.
But Glen shared that when he first moved to Los Angeles in 2008, he made a list of top filmmakers he wanted to work with. Edgar was on that list, “He has done so many different genres and types of films and knocks it out of the park each time.”
They shared that Lee in particular seemed to have the most fun playing an assassin to which he admitted, he did! “I had a blast, even for the publicity shoots, looking all bad-ass hanging out of a helicopter, with my mask and weapons, trying to kill Glen!”
For some fun questions, they were asked what real life game show they would actually like to be on. Lee said SURVIVOR “and I can win it.” Glen pointed out that he was on a kids version of it called ENDURANCE and was booted off the first episode so that was the end of his game show life.
Edgar said, “I’d be terrible at it but THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF but maybe I’ll get preferential treatment cuz I’m friends with Noel Fielding.” We all would like to see that season!
You can watch THE RUNNING MAN in theaters November 14th.
