When Glen Powell landed the lead role in the reboot of The Running Man, he knew exactly who to call for guidance: his Top Gun: Maverick co-star and action movie legend Tom Cruise.
"When you have Tom Cruise in your phone, the best thing to do is take advantage of that wisdom," Powell revealed during a recent Zoom interview. "He's been running in movies since 1981."
The 37-year-old actor chuckled as he described Cruise's ongoing mentorship. "He's very generous with that wisdom. The guy always picks up," Powell said, emphasizing how crucial Cruise's support was during the making of the dystopian thriller.
From Supporting Roles to Leading Man
Powell's journey to Hollywood stardom wasn't overnight. Before his breakout role as Lt. Jake 'Hangman' Seresin alongside Cruise in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, he spent years in smaller parts. Early credits included a stock trader in The Dark Knight Rises and Harvard Debater #1 in Denzel Washington's The Great Debaters.
His career trajectory accelerated dramatically after Maverick, leading to successful roles in the romantic comedy Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney, last year's Twisters reboot, Netflix's Hit Man, and this fall's football comedy Chad Powers.
"I've been playing pretend my whole life trying to do stuff like The Running Man," Powell reflected. "So it definitely doesn't feel scary. It feels like I'm at home."
A Modern Take on Stephen King's Vision
Directed by Edgar Wright, the new film adapts Stephen King's 1982 novel and reimagines the 1987 movie that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. Powell plays a desperate father in a dystopian future who joins a deadly reality show where contestants must outrun hunters for a chance to win a billion dollars.
"It's one of those ideas that as we've kind of developed a bit more of a reality TV existence — we really live in a TikTok, Instagram world — you can really see how The Running Man would be possible," Powell observed about the film's relevance.
Josh Brolin co-stars as the ruthless TV executive pushing for increasingly brutal content to boost ratings. Powell described the story as featuring "ordinary men against extraordinary odds," comparing it to films like Gladiator, Braveheart, and Minority Report that initially inspired his acting career.
Schwarzenegger's Seal of Approval
Powell didn't just seek advice from Cruise. He also screened the completed film for Arnold Schwarzenegger, with whom he had previously worked on Expendables 3.
"Arnold loved the movie," Powell shared excitedly. "He couldn't stop talking about how great the movie was. He said if there was any of his movies he'd want to do over again, it would be Running Man."
According to Powell, Schwarzenegger told them: "You nailed it. It's perfect." The endorsement from the original film's star represented a significant moment for both Powell and director Edgar Wright.
Behind the Scenes Challenges
The film presented physical challenges, including one memorable scene where Powell had to perform wearing only a bath towel. "We shot that scene in negative 10 in Bulgaria," he recalled with a laugh. "If the Velcro didn't stick, it would have been a bad day for everybody."
Throughout the production and his rising fame, Powell has remained grounded with support from his parents, Cyndy and Glen Powell Sr., and his rescue dog Brisket, who even had his own Running Man costume designed by the film's costume team.
Reflecting on his unexpected path to becoming Hollywood's next leading man, Powell shared: "My mom broke it down for me the other day. She sent me some of my props that I built as a kid. I would save old computer parts and make them look like things out of a James Bond movie. So what I'm getting to do in The Running Man is a dream come true."
The Running Man is now playing in theatres nationwide.
