The Running Man: Glen Powell Was Almost Fired From an Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie Before Replacing Him

Glen Powell‘s career almost came to an end before he made it big in Hollywood, all thanks to a “mistake” he made on the set of The Expendables 3.

Powell is everywhere these days, and we are not complaining. Before he became Hollywood’s most desirable leading man, though, he did a few roles here and there in some iconic projects, such as The Dark Knight Rises.

Powell was also in Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s The Expendables 3, where he played the role of an expert hacker, climber, and drone pilot. As for how he almost got fired from the movie, read on.

The actor appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he recalled how he and his friends would do impressions, proceeding to pull off a pretty spot-on mimicry of the movie’s leading man.

He stated, “I don’t know if you guys did impressions as a kid, but all my friends, like, when we were on the way to school, we’d do like carpool…So, my friend George…I’d be like [as Schwarzenegger], ‘George! Get to the car. We must go. We must learn…Get to the chopper!…‘”

That habit translated on the set of The Expendables 3, where he turned to Victor Ortiz, and as Schwarzenegger, said, “Victor, get to the picture. Get to the picture, Victor.” This was right before they clicked the iconic photo for the movie.

Apparently, Powell’s impression didn’t amuse anyone, especially not Schwarzenegger, who turned around to see what the young actor was up to. Even Sylvester Stallone was surprised. Powell recalled, “And Stallone’s like, ‘What are your doing?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know’…almost got ‘Expendable’.“

And that’s the story of how harmless mimicry almost cost Powell one stepping stone towards his success. All’s good, though. Powell not only got to keep his job, but he is now replacing Schwarzenegger in The Running Man.

How Different Is Glen Powell’s Running Man From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s?

Before Powell signed on to lead the adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Running Man, Schwarzenegger played the same role in the namesake 1987 movie.

The movie received mixed reviews from critics. In their review, the Los Angeles Times called The Running Man “Schwarzenegger’s best vehicle since ‘The Terminator‘, which was both praise and criticism rolled into one.

Considering that both iterations are essentially telling the same story, why should fans watch Powell’s upcoming film? Does the plot have anything different to offer this time around?

First of all, while both films are led by the fictional Ben Richards, they have completely different backstories. Schwarzenegger’s Captain Ben gets arrested after refusing to fire at innocent civilians. Despite his refusal, the other officers massacre the people and frame him for the deed.

After he escapes prison, he runs into Amber Mendez, who later alerts the authorities and has him arrested. He is then approached by Damon Killian, the host of ‘The Running Man’, interested in recruiting him for his deadly show to boost the ratings. Meanwhile, Powell’s Ben is no larger-than-life character. He is a simple, everyday man who becomes a ‘Runner’ only to save his sick daughter.

Paul Michael Glaser‘s flick was loosely adapted from King’s novel, whereas Edgar Wright has promised that his Running Man is much more faithful to the source (via Empire). While the 1987 movie leans into the cliched themes of an action film/hero, the upcoming adaptation focuses on portraying an “everyman” hero.

Glen Powell Has Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Blessing for His Adaptation

Glen Powell in The Running Man (2025) | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Taking over Ben Richards from Schwarzenegger, Powell has the OG actor’s “full blessing”. Talking to PEOPLE at the launch for his condiment line, Smash Kitchen, the Top Gun: Maverick actor revealed that he facetimed Schwarzenegger before getting into character.

He said,

Powell added, “Arnold gave us his full blessing and we get to give Arnold a very specific fun gift from the movie in a couple of weeks here. So I’m very excited to see him.“

The young actor really gave the movie his all, including turning to Tom Cruise for help. Only time will tell if the upcoming adaptation outperforms the last. Share your predictions in the comments section below!

Stream Schwarzenegger’s Running Man on Netflix. Powell’s The Running Man hits theaters on November 07.