The Running Man Lands R Rating From MPA — Buckle Up

Edgar Wright making The Running Man always sounded like a recipe for chaos in the best way. A Stephen King story that already morphed into a Schwarzenegger movie, filtered through the guy who made Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz? Yeah, do not sand the edges off that. Good news: they didn’t. The MPA just slapped Wright’s version with an R for strong violence, some gore, and salty language. As it should be.

So yes, it’s R. And that fits.

The premise is built for sharp elbows: a government-run game show that turns human survival into prime-time entertainment. If you’re going to do that, go all in. The rating breakdown specifically cites strong violence, some gore, and language. If you were worried about this landing in safe PG-13 territory, it didn’t.

Stephen King already saw it and loved it

'New trailer: RUNNING MAN. BTW: I’ve seen it and it’s fantastic. DIE HARD for our time. A bipartisan thrill ride.'

That’s the author giving Wright’s take a big thumbs-up. And yes, he calls it a modern Die Hard. High bar. Also worth noting: Wright is adapting King’s novel again, not remaking the 1987 Arnold movie beat for beat. That’s a subtle but important distinction.

Are R-rated action movies quietly creeping back?

Between Sinners, Nobody 2, Ballerina, Novocaine, A Working Man, and The Accountant 2 hitting over the last year, the grown-up action lane clearly isn’t empty. R on its own doesn’t guarantee quality, but the genre does feel sturdier when it isn’t dodging its own impact. On the flip side, some big franchises are skewing younger. Critic Chris Bumbray flagged that in his Predator: Badlands review, noting the movie felt built for a younger crowd (there’s even a cute sidekick named Bud), whereas Prey still had some bite. Point is: tone matters, not just the letter on the poster.

Wright’s setup, who’s making it, who’s in it

Wright directed and co-wrote the script with Michael Bacall, and he’s producing alongside Nira Park and Simon Kinberg. Glen Powell leads the cast. The lineup is stacked, and the roles hint at how gnarly this version gets.

• Glen Powell leads the film.
• Katy O'Brian (Love Lies Bleeding, and she shared the screen with Powell in Twisters) plays a contestant.
• Daniel Ezra (All American, where he played Spencer James across 106 episodes) co-stars.
• Josh Brolin (Outer Range) is the main villain, a TV executive.
• Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire) is a ruthless hunter.
• Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) plays an inexperienced rebel who tries to help the man on the run.
• Emilia Jones (CODA) is a privileged woman who doesn’t see the government’s oppression for what it is.
• David Zayas (Dexter) plays a character named Richard Manuel.
• Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) hosts The Running Man, the violent reality show promising a wild cash prize.
• Chi Lewis-Parry (28 Years Later) — the 6-foot-8 former MMA fighter — appears as a runner.
• Jayme Lawson (Sinners) and William H. Macy (Fargo, Boogie Nights) are in undisclosed roles.

When you can see it

The Running Man hits theaters on November 14.