Josh Brolin Cast in Villainous Role in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man With Glen Powell

Josh Brolin has been cast in Edgar Wright’s reimagining of The Running Man.

In April 2024, it was announced that Hit Man and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell had been tapped to star in a new version of The Running Man directed by Wright. The film is based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Stephen King, which was previously turned into a 1987 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Per Deadline, Brolin is in final negotiations to play the lead villain role in the new movie.

Brolin was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for playing Dan White in 2008’s Milk. His first on-screen performance was 1985’s The Goonies, while his filmography further includes titles such as 2007’s No Country for Old Men, 2008’s W., 2010’s Jonah Hex, 2010’s True Grit, 2012’s Men in Black 3, 2014’s Inherent Vice, 2015’s Sicario, and, most recently, 2024’s Brothers, among others.

He’s also known for playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Cable in 2018’s Deadpool 2, and Gurney Halleck in the Dune films.

What else do we know about Edgar Wright’s The Running Man?

King’s novel takes place in a dystopian America in 2025. The story revolves around a man named Ben Richards who competes in a deadly reality show in order to win enough money to help heal his daughter. Powell is playing Richards, while Brolin is believed to be playing to be the person behind the reality show.

The script for the movie was co-written by Wright — known for making movies such as 2004’s Shaun of the Dead, 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 2017’s Baby Driver, and more — and Michael Bacall. Wright produces the movie alongside Nira Park and Simon Kinberg.

The Running Man will be released in United States theaters on November 21, 2025.

Brandon Schreur

Brandon Schreur has been writing about comics, movies, television shows, and all things pop culture for roughly five years. He's a lifelong cinephile who spends way, way too much money buying Blu-rays and trade paperbacks. You can find him on twitter at @brandonschreur.