Josh Brolin as Villain in Edgar Wright's 'The Running Man' Remake!

Get Ready to Run! Josh Brolin Joins the Cast of The Running Man Remake!

The Running Man Remake: Josh Brolin Cast as the Villain!

Holy smokes! Get ready for some serious dystopian action, because Josh Brolin, that awesome actor who you know from Dune and the MCU (as Thanos, no less!), has joined the cast of The Running Man remake! He's going to be the villain, facing off against Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick). This movie adaptation will be directed by the super talented Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Last Night in Soho) which should excite every fan. That original 1987 movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger? This one will be different, way different!

The source material? Stephen King's novel The Running Man. Written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the book received this surprisingly popular yet ultimately flawed adaptation back in the 1980's. This upcoming new adaptation is highly anticipated – especially considering those behind the project; its cast and director's high calibre. Now the new version’s adding that signature Wright style to a classic story, already a very welcome surprise! But Brolin’s casting adds another layer. It is worth asking how the new version might adapt from those existing themes – the themes of survival in this dystopian society already portrayed in the classic Schwarzenegger adaptation!

Also Read: Glen Powell and Edgar Wright Team Up for 'The Running Man' Movie Adaptation

Brolin's Role: A Behind-the-Scenes Villain?

Arnold Schwarzenegger Screaming in The Running Man Image

We don't know everything yet, but Deadline revealed Brolin will be a producer involved in Powell's character’s deadly game; that infamous game Ben Richards (played by Powell) has decided to be involved in despite some serious implications that his daughter will desperately require expensive medical treatment which is going to force Ben to take significant risks and potentially deadly actions.

This also changes things a lot compared to the previous version, avoiding Richard Dawson’s iconic Damon Killian! This provides enormous freedom; opening a chance for a different kind of villain– somebody more subtly sinister, rather than just an over-the-top game show host which really works to showcase Brolin’s talents! Given Brolin’s history playing nuanced morally ambiguous roles, such as Thanos, his producer role could be seriously intense.

Also Read: Stephen King's 'The Running Man': Edgar Wright's New Take On A Dystopian Classic

What Brolin’s Casting Means for the Remake

Josh Brolin as young Agent K in Men in Black 3 Image

Brolin is an absolutely brilliant actor! His casting totally fits this role: he can completely capture that intense ambiguity often needed for these complicated character roles! This will create much greater intensity in the movie.

The remake’s expected to be much darker—thus Brolin's producer would seem way more dangerous and terrifying – potentially becoming Ben’s biggest opponent; presenting one of many difficulties presented that forces those decisions that determine the survival of various characters.

With Katy O’Brien and Daniel Ezra also in the cast (their roles unannounced), the excitement only keeps rising!

Also Read: The Running Man Remake: Glen Powell Takes the Lead in 2025

Our Take: Brolin is a Perfect Choice!

It's awesome Brolin is playing a villain here! Even if his character’s details are largely unknown currently. That early casting shows the importance they already saw for having him on the team! That anticipation has risen considerably!

And given the release date (November 21, 2025), Brolin’s character seems to have some pretty key impact on this whole storyline, even presenting Ben with intense and very possibly deadly challenges. Given all that potential; given the extremely creative potential already noted; this new cast member seems promising and deserves plenty of praise, and expectations are very, very high. And we know we’re all very, very ready to run. For that coming action. We're totally ready.

Also Read: 'Hit Man' by Glen Powell earns a higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than 'Top Gun: Maverick'.

Conclusion: Get Ready for an Epic Running Man!

This Running Man remake is a mega project with some very important figures both involved in creating this adaptation and also working in its actual filming; yet the release might not actually take place as anticipated given existing industry conditions. The selection of Josh Brolin as the villain presents another point that makes viewers pay attention and is important in generating high levels of interest surrounding those people already waiting! The movie sounds incredibly fun and has a killer cast; this all points toward a brilliant, high-energy adaptation of this incredible story.