Additionally, The Running Man now avoids a direct head to head box office showdown with Predator: Badlands, which is still scheduled to open on November 7th. Badlands is shaping up to be an intriguing fall title in its own right, serving up a fascinating Alien/Predator crossover for sci-fi fans.
Paramount kicked-started the Running Man marketing campaign earlier this summer, releasing the movie’s first trailer in July. The teaser highlighted Wright’s sharp eye for visuals and knack for staging action sequences, promising an immersive and compelling ride. The director’s sense of humor also remains intact despite the nature of the subject matter (see: Michael Cera electrocuting enemies with a water gun).
The brief delay should help The Running Man make a bigger impact in theaters. It’s easy to see why Paramount is interested in securing extra IMAX screens. Not only should that give the film’s box office prospects a boost, The Running Man is the kind of project built to be seen in the premium format. The production design and Wright’s stylistic flourishes stand out in the footage that’s been revealed so far, so the movie should really pop in IMAX. As long as The Running Man generates positive word of mouth, it should prove to be a healthy draw in the fall.
It’s also smart for Paramount to create some separation between The Running Man and Predator: Badlands. Both are sci-fi titles, and there’s probably some overlap between their target audiences. Now there’s less of a risk of the two cannibalizing each other. Badlands can have one weekend to itself before Running Man arrives. Running Man still has to deal with Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, but we just saw a July where Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps all had strong openings. There’s no reason why there can’t be plenty of money to go around this November.
