Hollywood’s golden age of movie stars may be long gone, but every now and then, a face emerges that makes us wonder if the magic is still alive. Enter Glen Powell, the square-jawed, charismatic Texan who’s stepping into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s oversized shoes for the reboot of The Running Man. But here’s where it gets controversial: is Powell the next action hero, or is he something entirely different? Let’s dive in.
In an era where Hollywood’s star system feels like a relic of the past, Powell’s casting in this 1987 dystopian classic has sparked excitement. Yet, the 37-year-old actor, known for his humility and down-to-earth charm, brushes off the hype. ‘I don’t find myself to be exceptional,’ he says. ‘You can’t compare apples to oranges when talking about today’s actors and the larger-than-life action stars of the past.’
Powell’s take on Ben Richards is a far cry from Schwarzenegger’s indestructible persona. Instead of a muscle-bound warrior, Richards is an everyman—no special skills, just rugged toughness and a short temper. He’s thrust into a deadly game show where the world is out to kill him, all to win prize money for his daughter’s life-saving medicine. And this is the part most people miss: Powell’s character isn’t a hero; he’s a survivor, battered and bruised, clinging to humanity in a world gone mad.
The film, which hits Singapore cinemas on November 13, also stars Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, and Michael Cera. Powell describes himself as an underdog, drawn to stories of ordinary people facing extraordinary odds. ‘Ben is about as ordinary as it gets,’ he says. From being blown off a bridge to abseiling down a building in a bath towel, Powell’s hero is far from invincible—a refreshing change from the untouchable action icons of the 20th century.
Interestingly, Powell and director Edgar Wright recently screened the film for Schwarzenegger himself. The 78-year-old legend’s response? ‘Oh, I feel so bad for you. It must have hurt.’ Powell recalls, ‘Arnold knows the pain it takes to do an action movie properly. Getting his blessing was pretty badass.’
The reboot stays closer to Stephen King’s original novel than the 1987 film, set in a chillingly prescient 2025 America. King’s vision of divisive autocrats, deepfake videos, and a healthcare crisis feels eerily relevant today. Here’s the thought-provoking question: does our modern obsession with TikTok and AI-generated content make us numb to real-world carnage? Powell thinks so. ‘We’re seeing chaos on our screens, but we’re detached from it,’ he says. ‘It’s a fun theme to explore in the movie—where do we get our news, and who controls the narrative?’
Powell’s rise to prominence has been meteoric, from his breakout role as the cocky pilot Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) to starring alongside Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You (2023) and chasing storms in Twisters (2024). He’s also flexed his creative muscles by co-writing and starring in Hit Man (2023). Next up? Leading a fantasy film from Lost creator J.J. Abrams, with his production company partnering with Universal Pictures.
These ventures into writing and producing echo another Hollywood legend: Sylvester Stallone, who wrote and starred in Rocky. ‘I never wanted to wait for the phone to ring,’ Powell says. ‘Hollywood is the Wild West right now. You have to take initiative and look forward, not backward.’
So, is Glen Powell the next big action star? Or is he redefining what it means to be a leading man in Hollywood? What do you think? Let’s debate in the comments—is Powell’s everyman hero a breath of fresh air, or do we still crave the larger-than-life icons of the past?
