Tom Jolliffe on The Running Man, and whether it will be the film to finally see Edgar Wright breaking America…
Much like Oasis and Robbie Williams, Edgar Wright’s attempts to translate UK status and acclaim to the glitzy world of the US industry haven’t gone entirely to plan. He’s certainly got more name recognition than Williams, whose Better Man biopic, recasting the cheeky chappy singer as a chimp, sank without a trace in America despite a good critical response. In part due to the off-kilter creative decision that left many scratching their heads, but mostly because Williams’ attempts in his heyday to break America just didn’t work.
Likewise, the recent reunion of the brothers Gallagher was a cultural landmark in the UK. A generational moment that led to near-instantaneous sellouts, and almost as instantaneous ticket reselling at crazy markups. Most Americans wouldn’t have a clue, but there is still a small cult fanbase of ‘mad fer it’ Americans who discovered Oasis back in the day.
Edgar Wright probably falls in line with Oasis. He’s got a solid amount of recognition among cinephiles in the US, or those attuned to the kind of irreverent and quirky British humour that made Wright a creative icon in his homeland. Spaced piqued enough interest on its initial run that a dismal, failed attempt at a US reboot happened. Sure, some Americans may have loved the original creative triumvirate of Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes and Wright and their incredible (and short-lived lived sitcom), but execs decided that it would be more loved if remade with an American cast and humour. The US Office this was not.
A similar fate befell Wright’s debut film, Shaun of the Dead. It’s utterly revered among British fans of comedy and horror, due to its impeccable fusion of both. For those who watched it just over 20 years back, of a certain age, it was a pop cultural phenomenon. A cult classic which adorns many a top 100 list. It probably still remains Wright’s most pitch-perfect movie. Hot Fuzz pointed its irreverent gaze at adeptly lampooning buddy cop films with a distinctly British sensibility, and is almost equally revered in the UK. In the US, much like Shaun, it’s got some cult followers but may not be something the average Joe on the street will have heard of.
Certainly, as far as British auteurs across the pond, Wright’s career hasn’t mirrored that of Christopher Nolan’s, whose foray into comic book cinema certainly helped (Wright got canned from directing Ant Man of course). Nolan’s penchant for a less divisive stylistic approach, focus on more widely appealing movies (compared to Wright’s quirkier sensibilities), also helped that successful transition.
Baby Driver was the nearly moment thus far. Greeted with universally good reviews, solid box office and lavished with praise for its incredibly cohesive style, Wright’s semi-musical action thriller was the mark of a filmmaker with complete control over his craft. Every shot and every cut is with precision and perfect kinetics. If some critics have an issue at times with Wright, it’s that his vibrant style can be full on, almost hyperactive. Sometimes there’s just too much happening, but in Baby Driver, he found the perfect vehicle (pardon the pun) to accentuate his strengths.
A few years prior, he made a film so deliriously dialled up that it just didn’t connect with any mainstream audiences. That was Scott Pilgrim vs The World, a film that was way ahead of its time. Almost born to be an A24 poster child, but coming before the studio’s creation and subsequent transformation into the studio of choice for Millennium/Gen Z cinephiles. Now this kind of wild, quirky, irreverent and dialled-up approach is all the rage.
Wright’s cinema has never been less than assured, and his casts increasingly filled with in-vogue stars, as demonstrated by the Anya Taylor Joy led-Last Night in Soho, Wright’s visually dazzling homage to Giallo. His stylistic references a little more of an acquired taste than something with mainstream appeal, and box office results reflected that. Equally, it felt like a step back for some, after how finely tuned the engine of Baby Driver was, because Last Night in Soho’s convoluted final act felt akin to a bull in a china shop (I still love the film, but appreciate why it lost many).
This brings us to a career-defining moment for Wright. He’s been handed the keys to a blockbuster. Not for the first time, but unlike Ant-Man or edging, this one has been seen to completion. A rumoured budget around the high end of moderate suggests that Paramount aren’t overextending. Probably sensible, given the majority of US audiences consider it a remake of one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s second-tier films, blissfully unaware it’s based on a Stephen King novel.
Wright’s The Running Man promises to be a closer adaptation than Arnie’s cheesy but infinitely quotable cult classic. Were it merely a Schwarzenegger reboot, it’s the kind of imperfect yet popular film that suits a reworking, more than something like Total Recall. Verhoeven’s smash hit, exceptionally made and idiosyncratic cult classic, was impossible to remake in any way but mundanely. Here, we have Wright taking over from the solid but distinctly functional direction of Paul Michael Glaser. Wright’s assured style, if the script lands, has the potential to best the 1987 film.
Furthermore, fans of King’s story who may have deemed the original film to be way too far off piste could well appreciate a truer adaptation. That’s very much a niche audience, however. No, the potential key to turning The Running Man into a conquering US box office behemoth lies in Glenn Powell. He’s very much a man of the moment, being foisted as a new box office star and one who, for once, isn’t called Chris. He’s had huge streaming success with Hit Man, and he’s also headlined a strong theatrical hit in Twisters (which performed better than expected).
Powell’s appeal on streaming, able to draw millions on name (or maybe ab) recognition doesn’t necessarily translate to big screen, but he’s popular and combined with some title recognition that comes from Arnold’s film and King’s novel, as well as a very promising trailer, this could be a surprise hit this fall. If it still has some legs going into Thanksgiving (three weeks after release), it could be the difference between modest and mega success.
Ultimately, whether Wright is interested in the kind of all-consuming success of Chris Nolan is another matter. Box office domination only helps in making those more personal passion projects, of course and on that front, after a poor performance with Last Night in Soho, Wright needs to strike gold to more easily facilitate his next quirkier vision. What The Running Man may well offer, though, in its comparatively more generic nature, is the perfect platform for Wright to inject much-needed energy into the type of mid-level blockbuster reboot (if you wanna call it that) that is generally awful. Under Wright’s gaze, it’s bound to be entertaining at least, but who knows, another cult film in the making.
Are you looking forward to The Running Man? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Tom Jolliffe
