Stephen King had to approve Glenn Powell for starring in The Running Man remake

Glen Powell has Stephen King's blessings for The Running Man remake, as the actor confirmed having the original creator's blessings for his role in the film. Revealing the details of his casting during the New York Comic Con, Powell talked about how Wright approached him for the role, following it up with a crucial detail: King has to approve him. The approval meant the writer watched Powell's Hitman, and the rest, of course, is history.

Talking about his casting, Powell said,

“[Director] Edgar [Wright} offered me this movie, and I was like, ‘Yes.’ And then, like, later that night [Edgar says], 'By the way, like, you have to be approved by Stephen King. He's gonna watch Hit Man tonight.' And so I had to wait overnight for Stephen King to watch Hit Man and hope that I still had the role in the morning. It's terrible."

He continued to add that King apparently "loved" the film, leading him to get cast in The Running Man, which reaches theaters this November.

More details about The Running Man

The Running Man is shaping up to be one of the year's most thrilling rides. Directed by Edgar Wright, who worked on the screenplay with Michael Bacall, the film is based on the 1982 novel by Stephen King, which has been adapted previously in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The official synopsis of the film reads,

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.

Powell, fresh off Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You, leads a powerhouse ensemble. Josh Brolin takes on the role of Dan Killian, the manipulative producer orchestrating the spectacle, while Colman Domingo delivers charisma and menace as the show’s host, Bobby Thompson. Lee Pace plays Evan McCone, a ruthless hunter with his own motives, and Jayme Lawson portrays Sheila Richards, Ben’s wife, whose loyalty is tested as the system closes in.

Arnold Schwarzenegger will make a photographic cameo, as the face of bills in the film, a shoutout to the original Running Man. The cast also includes Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Katy O'Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, Simon Haines, Sean Hayes, Sandra Dickinson, George Carroll, Martin Herlihy and Sophie Simnett.