One man volunteers for his family rather than fame in a future when the impoverished are compelled to battle for their lives on live television.

This is the idea behind the science fiction action movie “The Running Man,” starring Glen Powell, whose previous roles include “Top Gun: Maverick” and the romantic comedy “Anyone But You.”

Powell shared in an interview with ABS-CBN News that it was really harsh to bring the Stephen King novel “The Running Man” to life.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever done. Not only something that’s physically incredibly demanding, but emotionally, putting yourself in the perspective of a guy who’s trying to show up for his family,” said Powell.

Powell portrays Ben Richards, who signs up for a lethal game show in which participants must survive for thirty days while being pursued by “hunters” who have been recruited to kill them.

Even though the story was written in 1982, Powell feels that the message—which highlights the despicable ways that social media and artificial intelligence can be misused—has never felt more relevant.

Powell wants the story to give underdogs hope that they can band together and fight.

“I think it’s just a real great underdog story, just a real great human story,” he stated.

Cruise advised him that pain might be transient. Powell, meanwhile, believes that growth is cumulative. Every lesson builds upon the one before it. Every job leaves a scar that develops into a skill. He is now bulletproof enough to enjoy The Running Man while he stands in front of it.

Wright’s picture gives the narrative a fresh perspective; it is more realistic and visceral than the Schwarzenegger adaptation. Filmed with Powell’s whole physical dedication and Wright’s signature accuracy, it’s a nightmarish chase through a collapsing media landscape.

For the actor, it’s the movie he’s been aiming for since the beginning, not just another step up the ladder. The one that ultimately reveals Powell’s true self and demands everything he has learned.