The Running Man Just Got the Scarlet Letter from the MPA—R-Rated and Ready to Raise Eyebrows!
Added on November 5, 2025 inEntertainment News Cards, Movie News Cards
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So, what do you get when you mash up a Stephen King classic, an R-rating dripping with “strong violence, some gore, and language,” and the vibrant, sharp-witted touch of Edgar Wright (the genius behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz)? A cinematic recipe for The Running Man reboot that’s vying to be the “Die Hard for our time,” according to King himself. Honestly, with Mars charging ahead in Scorpio today, fueling that fearless, no-holds-barred energy, it feels like the perfect cosmic alignment for a film that promises to not pull any punches and embraces its raw, edgy vibe. And if you’re wondering whether R-rated action flicks are sneaking back into vogue—well, after a slew of intense releases this year, that question bites as sharply as this movie’s premise. Grab your popcorn (and maybe a helmet), ‘cause November 14 can’t come soon enough. LEARN MORE
If you’re adapting a novel from Stephen King, which has already been an action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, all previous source material seems to be pointing to an edgy, action thrill ride that begs you not to pull any punches. Oh, and your previous movies include Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Edgar Wright seems to be right at home with his upcoming adaptation of The Running Man, as the MPA has just given the movie an R-rated stamp due to strong violence, some gore, and language.
The movie was given a thumbs-up by the author himself as Stephen King previously posted on social media about his reaction to Edgar Wright’s re-adaptation of The Running Man. King teased his positive reception, saying, “New trailer: RUNNING MAN. BTW: I’ve seen it and it’s fantastic. DIE HARD for our time. A bipartisan thrill ride.”
With movies like Sinners, Nobody 2, Ballerina, Novocaine, A Working Man and The Accountant 2 released this past year, is the R-rated action movie making a comeback? Granted, an R-rating doesn’t automatically equal a good movie, but sometimes it can feel extra authentic with its raw nature. Our Chris Bumbray recently pointed out how he felt Predator: Badlands might’ve aimed to be more audience-friendly, as said in his review, “This was clearly conceived as a movie for a younger audience, with them even giving Dek and Thia a cute sidekick animal they name Bud to tag along. It’s certainly a well-done PG-13, but it’s definitely not a movie targeted at the older Predator audience (unlike Prey, which was still pretty gnarly).”
Wright is directing The Running Man from a script he co-wrote with Michael Bacall and is producing the film with Nira Park and Simon Kinberg. Powell is joined in the cast by Katy O’Brian (who had a breakthrough role in Love Lies Bleeding and shared the screen with Powell in Twisters) as a contestant; Daniel Ezra, who played the character Spencer James on 106 episodes of the CW series All American; Josh Brolin (Outer Range), playing a TV executive who is the main villain; Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire) as a ruthless hunter; Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as a “naïve rebel who tries to help the desperate man”; Emilia Jones (CODA) as a “privileged woman blind to the oppression of the government“; David Zayas (Dexter) as a character named Richard Manuel; Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) as the host of The Running Man, a violent reality show promising an outrageous cash prize; 6-foot-8-inch actor and former MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry (28 Years Later) as a runner; and Jayme Lawson (Sinners) and William H. Macy of Fargo and Boogie Nights in unspecified roles.
The Running Man hits theaters on November 14.
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