‘The Running Man’ Takes Over New York: A Star-Studded Premiere and a Victory Lap for Big-Screen Spectacle

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Nov 12

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

(L-R) Edgar Wright, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace and Glen Powell attend Paramount's "The Running Man" premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Nov. 9, 2025, in New York City. - **Credit:** **Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images**

Edgar Wright brings Stephen King’s dystopia roaring into the present with pure adrenaline — and a premiere worthy of its chaos.

There are premieres, and then there are cinematic takeovers. On Sunday night, November 9, the AMC Lincoln Square in New York City became the epicenter of Hollywood energy as The Running Man held its U.S. premiere — an all-out celebration of Edgar Wright’s high-octane reimagining of Stephen King’s novel. The red carpet was overflowing with stars, directors, and industry insiders who gathered to toast a film already being hailed as one of the year’s defining theatrical events.

The evening was as kinetic as the film itself. Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Josh Brolin, William H. Macy, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Katy O’Brian, and Martin Herlihy all turned out in sleek, futuristic looks that nodded to the film’s neon-lit dystopia. Wright, joined by co-writer Michael Bacall and producers Simon Kinberg and Nira Park, greeted press and fans with the kind of contagious enthusiasm that has made him a favorite among cinephiles.

But the guest list didn’t stop there. The premiere drew an A-list crowd that read like a roll call of modern Hollywood: Alfonso Cuarón, Paul Rudd, Christopher McQuarrie, J.J. Abrams, Christian Slater, and several members of the Saturday Night Live cast, including Sarah Sherman, James Austin Johnson, and Martin Herlihy. Inside the packed theater, applause erupted before the film even started. By the time the credits rolled, it was clear — The Running Man had delivered exactly the kind of big-screen electricity audiences have been starving for.

Adapted from Stephen King’s 1982 novel and reimagined for 2025 by Wright and Bacall, the film follows Ben Richards (Powell), a falsely accused man forced to participate in a deadly televised game show where survival is entertainment. Wright’s version infuses the source material with biting satire and emotional depth, blending the director’s signature kinetic energy with a surprisingly human core. The result is a film that’s both wildly entertaining and deeply relevant — a critique of spectacle culture that doubles as one of the year’s most explosive action experiences.

“The goal was always to make something unapologetically cinematic,” Wright told The Cinema Group on the carpet. “Streaming’s great, but this story belongs in a theater — with sound, sweat, and an audience reacting together.” Judging by the premiere’s energy, he succeeded.

The night’s fashion was as talked-about as the film. Glen Powell drew laughs for his tongue-in-cheek comment that “Grandpa and Pa clearly love dressing up,” marking his third major on-screen persona of the year after Hit Man’s Chad Powers and now Ben Richards. Colman Domingo stunned in an emerald suit that matched the film’s electric color palette, while Emilia Jones and Jayme Lawson brought old-Hollywood glamor with a futuristic twist.

Social media lit up immediately after the screening. Early reactions from attendees praised Wright’s direction and the ensemble’s chemistry, calling the film “a rocket-fueled crowd-pleaser,” “Wright’s boldest since Baby Driver,” and “a throwback to when action movies had soul.” Several industry figures at the event noted that the premiere felt less like promotion and more like a statement: the theatrical experience still matters.

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And that’s exactly what The Running Man delivers. Equal parts spectacle and emotion, it’s a film that reminds audiences why we go to the movies in the first place. “It’s the definitive adaptation,” one guest said leaving the theater. “Sharper, funnier, and far more human than the original.”

For Wright and Powell, the New York premiere wasn’t just a victory lap — it was a vindication. In an era where box-office headlines often read like obituaries for cinema, The Running Man feels like a rebellion, a film made with craft, confidence, and conviction that movies can still make your heart race.