Edgar Wright on Reimagining The Running Man for a New Era

Edgar Wright’s latest project has been the subject of much discussion among film enthusiasts, as he brings his distinctive style to Stephen King’s celebrated science fiction tale, The Running Man. With Glen Powell taking the lead as a contestant in a deadly televised contest, the film has quickly become one of the season’s most talked-about releases. Our own Joshua Ryan described it as “A Slick, Star-Fueled Thrill Ride” in his review.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Wright to explore his creative process, the challenges of adapting King’s work, and the unsettling ways in which elements of the story are beginning to mirror reality.

Setting the Scene: A Timeless Dystopia

Unlike previous versions, Wright’s adaptation avoids pinning the story to a specific year. When asked about this choice, he explained,

“Well, I think for that reason, actually; we thought to ourselves in making it that it would be a different tomorrow. Essentially, it was in an alternate 2025. We didn’t put the date on it because I think that a lot of sci-fi films, even great ones, can’t kick the date down the road far enough and eventually it catches up with you. Obviously, 2001 is long in the rearview. So I thought, ‘Why date yourself?’”

Wright and his team imagined a world that felt like a vision of the future as conceived in the early 1980s, blending advanced technology with a certain analogue nostalgia. He noted a growing fascination with older tech, suggesting that the relentless march of digital innovation is not always viewed positively.

Modern Parallels and World-Building

The director acknowledged the eerie relevance of the film’s themes, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfakes.

“I mean, I think the thing that was kind of the most disturbing is that you have a subplot that revolves around AI and deepfakes where you don’t even have to say what it is. It’s just read as this. The only thing that’s surprising to the people in the film is how fast it is and how it’s developing split seconds after something’s happened.”

Wright began scripting in 2022, and was struck by how quickly fiction seemed to be overtaken by reality. He believes that a dystopian future only moments away from our own is particularly effective for this story.

Turning to the adaptation process, Wright contrasted his approach to The Running Man with his earlier work on Scott Pilgrim, which was based on a graphic novel. He found King’s world remarkably vivid, despite the lack of illustrations, and relished the opportunity to expand on its details. The film explores the stark divide between the wealthy and the poor, with visual cues such as retrofitted vehicles and stylised cityscapes inspired by 1980s design.

Layered Details and Satirical Edge

Wright is keen for audiences to notice the film’s many subtle touches, from invented brand names to the omnipresent influence of a single corporate entity. He remarked that repeat viewings often reveal new layers, and he remains a strong advocate for DVD extras and director’s commentaries.

Discussing the film’s blend of entertainment and social commentary, Wright observed,

“Well, I think the best of genre cinema is like a Trojan horse. Ostensibly, the horse is like a sci-fi action film, and inside, there’s plenty to chew on for later. But most genre films are like that. They have metaphors in them that may be very obvious, or maybe something that you just pick up subconsciously, or that you can kind of interpret in different ways.”

He believes that genre films can reach wider audiences and deliver powerful messages without sacrificing enjoyment, a quality he finds in much of King’s writing.

Timelessness and Character

Reflecting on the enduring appeal of King’s dystopian stories, Wright suggested that their relevance lies both in King’s prescience and in the sobering realisation of how little has changed over the decades. He praised the relatability of King’s characters, particularly the protagonist Ben Richards, whose perspective grounds the film’s action.

Wright also addressed the film’s tone, noting that while his adaptation incorporates more humour than previous versions, the original novel contains a strong satirical streak. He argued that King’s wit is often underestimated, and that the book’s sharp critique of television culture was ahead of its time.

Finally, Wright spoke about casting Glen Powell as Ben Richards, highlighting his everyman quality and the deliberate contrast with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal. Powell’s performance, he said, brings both vulnerability and charm to the role, making the character’s journey all the more compelling.