During a time when true movie stars are a dime a dozen, Glen Powell has cemented himself as being more than worthy to take up that mantle. Since blowing up in a big way in Top Gun: Maverick, Powell’s decisions have been strategic in the sense that he wants the audience to have a good time at the movies while developing a personality with full-on charisma and a dash of self-deprecating humor. He has movie-star good looks, but he leads with his Texas homegrown persona that has endeared him to the masses. He has been in successful films, but this weekend he finds himself leading The Running Man, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel, with Edgar Wright taking on duties behind the camera.
Powell’s name is above the title on the film’s poster, and that’s something that hints at movie stars of the past who were able to sell their projects on their names alone. This will be a true test of Powell’s potential at the box office and indicate if he’s the natural successor of his Top Gun: Maverick co-star and good friend, Tom Cruise.
For Powell, a redo of The Running Man was honestly a smart choice on paper. King’s novel was previously adapted in 1987 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, released the same year as Predator, for the action star who was taking the ’80s by storm. The movie opened to mixed reviews and didn’t follow the novel to the letter, but it proved to be a moderate success, grossing $38 million of a $27 million budget. Adapting the novel again provided the opportunity to make a more faithful adaptation that would also prove to be topical in this day and age. The film’s premise about a society controlled by an authoritative media entity feels more on the nose today in 2025 than it did in 1987, and given he fact that the book takes place in a dystopian 2025, it only gives the film’s narrative more weight today.
Wright, known for films such as Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver, had expressed his desire to remake the movie since at least 2017, and it was announced to be in development in 2021 at Paramount Pictures. Following the success of Anyone but You for Powell in late 2023, the actor was announced to be cast in the lead role and even asked Schwarzenegger for his full blessing. This is the move of an actor who wants to make sure he isn’t stepping on toes while also using this project as a vehicle to propel him to the next level.
Unlike something like Twisters, which was released during the summer of 2024, The Running Man would be a project completely led by Powell with a supporting cast seemingly built around him. In Twisters, Powell had to compete with its summer tentpole sensibilities and special effects. In The Running Man, Powell is set up to be the main attraction around the film’s narrative and pulse-pounding action.
Powell has been steadily building to having this moment. He originally auditioned for Miles Teller’s role of Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw in Top Gun: Maverick, and when he didn’t land that part, Cruise convinced him to portray LT Jake “Hangman” Seresin, a role that Powell was initially reluctant to take. It would prove to be a decision that would change Powell’s life because not only was Top Gun: Maverick a massive hit, but it also began this sort of teacher/pupil relationship between him and Cruise. They worked together to improve his character of Hangman through rewrites and made the role one that served the story a bit more.
Through these workshops on Top Gun: Maverick, Powell got to learn from Cruise a great deal, and it likely set the tone for the career he ultimately wanted for himself. Cruise is no doubt one of our biggest movie stars, still killing the game today, and it’s something he has perfected over the years through diverse projects that have spanned various genres of cinema. Not only did Cruise provide advice on how to navigate films, but Powell also seemed to learn the best way to present himself to the public. Make it all about the work while cementing your charisma and likability.
It’s a relationship that has played out in the media, and it sparks a sense of positivity that sometimes the industry lacks. At 63, Tom Cruise has no intentions of hanging it up anytime soon, but the fact of the matter is, he can’t do all of this forever, and Powell, at least in recent memory, appears to be the most likely person to take up his mantle. Since Powell’s time with him on Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise has supported Powell throughout his endeavors.
He attended the European premiere in London for Twisters to support Powell, with reports saying that Cruise was extremely thrilled by what he saw at the screening. They even shared a photo on Powell’s Instagram with a caption that read, “When your wingman follows you into the storm.” It’s a creative mentorship that has continued since then, with Powell saying Cruise spent two hours giving him advice on how to approach the stunts on The Running Man and even giving him prosthetic tips for his Hulu football series, Chad Powers. As you’re on your way to being a movie star with box office fire behind you, this is the kind of support that you want.
Anyone but You and Twisters were no doubt hits for Powell, and his presence more than likely played a role in those films being successful, but it’s a little different when your name is above the title. The Running Man will be the true test of Powell’s movie star gravitas, which is why a lot is riding on it. Reviews for the movie have been more on the mixed side as it currently sits with a 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but even the reviews that express disappointment say that Powell’s charm and star wattage go a long way to making up for the film’s shortcomings.
There was a comment making the rounds on social media yesterday that said the “actors are innocent here,” and most of that was aimed at Powell, who apparently does his utmost best to deliver on making the movie an entertaining experience.
So what is Powell working with here? The film carries a production budget of $110 million, and early box office tracking and pre-sales suggest an opening between $18-25 million. That wouldn’t be a grand slam with a budget like that, but keep in mind that Predator: Badlands was tracking that low just last week, but turned that into the biggest opening of the franchise with a $40 million debut. One of the big reasons that The Running Man shifted a week (it was originally opening against Badlands) was to create some distance, as they were likely fighting for the same male demo. The Running Man may see decent walk-up business that will make it a bigger success during its opening weekend.
Also, even though the movie skews heavily male, Powell has cultivated goodwill with the audience that goes beyond gender. Men love him because of his everyman personality that makes him not appear to be your typical movie star, while women not only see a good-looking guy, but they also see someone who comes off like a total gentleman. In interviews, he’s very personable, and it doesn’t hurt that he brings his parents along during some of his press as well as his little dog Brisket, the little terrier-poodle mix he adopted while filming Twisters. He’s covered just about all the ground you can cover to make the audience like him. It certainly doesn’t hurt that it doesn’t feel like a show. Powell’s personality comes off as sincere and genuine.
Should The Running Man not be a winner, it’s not like Powell’s movie star status will come to an end. Even Cruise had early misfires, but should he open The Running Man above expectations and get it on its way to box office glory, it will show that Powell’s name alone can guarantee a hit during a time when that just isn’t always the case anymore. As the industry is starved for movie stars, Powell wants to show that he’s more than capable of being one.
The Running Man opens in theaters nationwide this Friday.
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