Glen Powell's Naked Scene in Edgar Wright's 'The Running Man'

Director Edgar Wright is pushing boundaries with his upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's The Running Man, featuring a jaw-dropping sequence that has everyone talking: star Glen Powell dangling naked from an eight-story building in below-freezing Bulgaria. This daring stunt marks the culmination of the film's grueling production, officially the longest, most expensive, and coldest shoot of Wright's career.

The Ultimate Sacrifice for Cinema

In one of the most talked-about scenes from The Running Man, Powell's character must escape deadly hunters by rappelling down a skyscraper window—clad only in a towel. The production faced extreme challenges when a blizzard hit Bulgaria, forcing Powell to endure 30 minutes suspended in harnesses during sub-zero temperatures while Wright meticulously orchestrated the shot from below, bundled in a parka.

"It's always temporary pain for eternal cinematic glory," Powell quipped about the intense shoot, which saw him track frigid weather forecasts in anticipation of the scene. His commitment to Wright's vision was total. Before signing on, he assured the director: "There's not going to be an actor who works as hard for you as I will. I'll put my body on the line to make sure you get the movie you want to get."

A Fresh Take on Stephen King's Dystopia

Wright's adaptation diverges significantly from the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film, instead hewing closer to King's original 1982 novel. Set in a nightmarish 2025 America, the story revolves around a deadly game show where contestants compete for $1 billion by surviving a 30-day nationwide manhunt. Unlike Schwarzenegger's hyper-masculine hero, Powell portrays Ben Richards—a desperate father risking his life for his sick child.

Wright, who grew up devouring King's paperbacks, sees eerie parallels between King's satirical vision of reality TV culture and today's social media-driven world. "What once seemed like a dark and distant fantasy now has eerie parallels with our tumultuous present," he noted. The film balances visceral action with human drama, grounding its high-concept premise in relatable stakes.

Wright's Vision and Career Comeback

This ambitious project comes at a pivotal moment for Wright, who first tweeted his desire to remake The Running Man in 2017. After setbacks like the shelved Ant-Man project and pandemic-era release challenges with Last Night in Soho, Wright is reclaiming his creative stride. The Running Man represents his return to large-scale filmmaking with his signature style intact.

The shoot wasn't just cold—it was brutal. Filming also took place in Scotland, where Wright recalls the "insidious cold of Glasgow" that left him questioning if he'd ever warm up again. Yet these hardships mirror the endurance tests he admires in classic action films like Die Hard, which inspired his own take on skyscraper survival sequences.

Why This Adaptation Matters

Unlike typical remakes, Wright positions his The Running Man as a reinterpretation akin to A Fistful of Dollars' relationship to Yojimbo. With its blend of social commentary, visceral thrills, and Powell's committed performance, the film promises to be both a blockbuster and a bold statement. As Wright gears up for the November 14 release, he's already energized by fan reactions at New York Comic-Con, signaling strong audience anticipation.

As Powell's naked scene becomes the film's viral centerpiece, it symbolizes the passion driving this production: "temporary pain for eternal cinematic glory." With Wright's meticulous direction and Powell's fearless performance, The Running Man is poised to become the must-see dystopian thriller of 2025.

"We were shooting in the elements all night. Edgar wanted it to feel brutal." — Glen Powell on The Running Man's demanding shoot