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'The Running Man' star Glen Powell says he likes "the ordinary guy against extraordinary odds"

By Sophia Soto | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 3:21 PM ET

Glen Powell is giving us some new insight on why the character of Ben Richards in Edgar Wright's The Running Man, based on the Stephen King novel, appealed to him.

"I just don’t identify with people with superpowers for the most part,” he told Empire. "I like the ordinary guy against extraordinary odds. The entire world is hunting this man, trying to kill him. Can he survive? Can he save his family? That’s a great, simple story."

This comes after he turned down a role in Jurassic World Rebirth. "Sometimes you’ve got to close your eyes and put yourself in that movie, and you’re like, 'No, I would not be good in this movie,'" the actor explained. "'There’s somebody better that’s gonna breathe more life into this, or can do a better job than I can.' And you just have to be realistic about that. Sometimes you put yourself out of a job, but that’s okay."

The rest of the cast includes William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin.

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

The film will be released in theatres on November 7.

Sophia Soto

Sophia Soto is a writer and interviewer with a passion for all things entertainment. She is a Senior Reporter at The Nerds of Color and contributes to Yardbarker, Screensphere, Den of Geek, What to Watch, Nerdtropolis, and Temple of Geek. You can see her past work on Remezcla, Young Hollywood, Looper, Paste Magazine, Primetimer, Soundsphere, and Starry Constellation Magazine

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