Colman Domingo will soon be heard on screen as the Cowardly Lion in Wicked: For Good, but before then, he's making a splash in The Running Man. He plays flamboyant TV host Bobby T, presenter of the titular show, who is only interested in ensuring the audience have a great time.
The new movie is not a direct remake of the cult '80s action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and instead goes back to Stephen King's original novel.
Talking to Digital Spy at last night's UK premiere of The Running Man, Domingo explained why he chose notorious US talk show host Jerry Springer as his main inspiration for Bobby T.
"I just liked the way he incited his audience in a way, but he still felt non-complicit. He felt like, 'I'm going to let people do what they need to do, the show must happen', and then he slept well at night. I feel like that was very much Bobby T," he noted, adding that adapting the novel instead of the '80s movie makes The Running Man more timely.
"I love the fact we went to the origins of the book which is not the '80s Schwarzenegger film. There's so much about the book right now that is really examining who we are right now in our culture. I think it's very important for us to have that self-examination and a wild, fun ride at the same time."
Related: Glen Powell is on the run in action-packed Running Man trailer
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The Running Man stars Glen Powell in the Arnie role of Ben Richards, with Powell and Domingo joined by the likes of Josh Brolin as show producer Dan Killian, Lee Pace as lead hunter Evan McCone, Jayme Lawson as Ben's wife Sheila and Michael Cera as rebel Elton Parrakis.
Following the premiere last night, the first reactions have landed online for the movie which has been praised as an "instant classic".
"The Running Man was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. Action-packed, emotional, and a star vehicle for Glen Powell," hailed one, with another calling it a "crowd pleaser".
The Running Man is released in UK cinemas on 12 November and in US cinemas on 14 November.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
