Category: The Runner

“The Runner” Review: A Race Across London and a Battle for Control

Damianista’s note: This review discusses the film’s basic setup and a few scenes beyond those shown in the trailer, but contains no major spoilers.

Let me begin with the obvious: The Runner is not the movie of the year.

It is one of those kidnapping thrillers in which an ordinary person receives a terrifying phone call and must follow a criminal’s instructions to save someone they love. We have seen plenty of them, haven’t we?

However, one thing distinguishes it from many similar thrillers: the person doing the running, fighting and quick problem-solving is a woman. In this kind of story, the desperate parent and action hero has often been a man. Here Maia is given the same freedom male action heroes have long enjoyed—to be physically strong, think strategically and be the one responsible for saving the day. This may not reinvent the formula, but it does help level the playing field for female characters.

This does not mean that The Runner is an excellent movie. No, it is not, and I have reservations that I will discuss later. But it is a good choice for action-thriller lovers. It moves quickly, it has its moments, and the psychological duel at its center keeps it engaging. And this is coming from someone who almost never watches mainstream commercial films, particularly action movies.

If you are watching only because you want to see a lot of Damian Lewis, however, you should adjust your expectations. You will get plenty of his voice, along with shadows, blurred images and tiny glimpses of him. We see him in the flesh only briefly. This is very much a Gal Gadot movie.

Continue reading ““The Runner” Review: A Race Across London and a Battle for Control”

Damian Lewis in The Runner: Unpacking the Official Trailer *UPDATED*

One of the movies we’re most excited to see Damian Lewis in this year is The Runner, written by Mark Gibson, directed by Kevin Macdonald, and starring Gal Gadot in the lead role. The film was shot across London during the spring and summer of 2025. And now we have only three days to go until the global premiere:  The Runner will be on Prime Video on September 2, 2026.

When we published our first article about The Runner, we knew very little about Damian’s role. All we had were a plot synopsis, some intriguing photographs from the set, one magnificent mustache—and a great deal of enthusiasm for endless speculation! Continue reading “Damian Lewis in The Runner: Unpacking the Official Trailer *UPDATED*”

Damian Lewis in The Runner: Unpacking the Official Trailer

One of the movies we’re most excited to see Damian Lewis in this year is The Runner, written by Mark Gibson, directed by Kevin Macdonald, and starring Gal Gadot in the lead role. The film was shot across London during the spring and summer of 2025.

Amazon MGM Studios has now released the official trailer and poster for The Runner. The psychological thriller will premiere globally on Prime Video on September 2, 2026.

When we published our first article about The Runner, we knew very little about Damian’s role. All we had were a plot synopsis, some intriguing photographs from the set, one magnificent mustache—and a great deal of enthusiasm for endless speculation! Continue reading “Damian Lewis in The Runner: Unpacking the Official Trailer”

Damian Lewis in The Runner: A First Look *UPDATED with Official Trailer*

One of the movies we’re excited to see Damian Lewis in later this year is The Runner, written by Mark Gibson, directed by Kevin Macdonald, and starring Gal Gadot in the lead role. The film was shot in London over the spring–summer of 2025 and will be distributed by Amazon MGM Studios.

Damian Lewis hasn’t just been cast in The Runner — he’s been spotted on set in a way that raises a lot of questions. His look, his position next to the main characters, and the fact that we don’t know his role yet make him one of the most interesting mysteries in the film.

While Gal Gadot might be the official star of The Runner, if you are a Damian Lewis fan, you already know where the real intrigue lies: Damian showed up on set sporting the most serious mustache of 2025.

And since we still don’t know who he is playing in the movie, the only sensible thing to do is speculate wildly, irresponsibly, and with great enthusiasm! If the production wanted us to behave, they would release a character description… So let’s go! Continue reading “Damian Lewis in The Runner: A First Look *UPDATED with Official Trailer*”