Thriller
Action
One hour. One chance to save her son.
The Runner (2026)
Runtime
86 min
Release date
03/09/2026
Country
United States of America, United Kingdom
Production
Amazon MGM Studios
Rockwood Pictures
Overview
Maia Marten, a brilliant London lawyer, has her life shattered by a single call on her morning run: her son has been taken. To get him back, she must keep running, obey every ruthless command, and trust no one-each second a test of how far a mother will go to save her child.
Directors & Screenwriters
Kevin Macdonald
Director
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Cast
Gal Gadot
as
Maia
Damian Lewis
as
The Caller
Rory Wilmot
as
Noah
Alfred Enoch
as
Ted
Phoenix Di Sebastiani
as
Tafa
Nathan Kirby
as
Wiry Dude
Hélder Fernandes
as
Buddy
Will Austin
as
NCA Officer 1
Mark Hampton
as
NCA Officer 2
Stevie Binns
as
NCA Officer 3
John Leader
as
Forensics Officer
Kenton Lloyd Morgan
as
Boat Captain
Simon Nader
as
Hotel Security
Jessie Cave
as
Alice (School Mum)
Michael Raymond Fox
as
Waterloo Bridge Police Officer
Simon Shorten
as
Ulysses Suite Police Officer 1
Miles Mitchell
as
Ulysses Suite Police Officer 2
Raquel Appiah
as
Canal Mum
Lorenzo Martelli
as
Business Man
Clive Kneller
as
Old Man at Canal
Tanvi Joshi
as
Woman on Stoop
Aaron Gill
as
Mr Orwell (Serious Young Man)
Ava Galindez
as
Brandy (Student 1)
Natassia Bustamante
as
Lou (Student 2)
Jahaziel Agyemang
as
Chasing Boyfriend
Millicent Wong
as
Fashionista
Alexandre Dewen
as
Paramedic Tending to Noah
Umit Ulgen
as
Tourist Shop Owner
Alexander Scrivens
as
Canal Boat Owner
Toni Peach
as
Harassed Mother on Tube
Jack Irving
as
Mr Neon Shoes
Daniel Copeland
as
Builder
Rich Keeble
as
DCI Philips
Samson Cox-Vinell
as
Police Detective
Colm Gormley
as
Vicar
Rosie Akerman
as
Paramedic
Callum Coates
as
Reporter
Ross Forder
as
Maia's Father
Raquel Silveira
as
Maia's Mother
Ed Horrocks
as
Choir Master
Ruby Di Sebastiani
as
Woman with Cue Cards
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All trailers
Thriller
Action
The Runner
Official Trailer
Video: YouTube
Duration: 02:00
Duration: 02:00
Did You Know?
Alan Ritchson’s high‑octane ‘Runner’ races into theaters just days after a critically‑panned namesake.
Alan Ritchson’s newest action thriller, Runner, is set to hit cinemas on September 11, 2026 – a mere nine days after Amazon Prime’s The Runner, starring Gal Gadot, bombed with a 7% Rotten Tomatoes score. The back‑to‑back releases have sparked concerns about audience confusion, especially since both films feature fast‑paced races against time to save a child.
Runner pairs Ritchson with Owen Wilson in a 1980s‑style throwback about a duo racing to secure a new liver for a dying girl while mercenaries close in. The film leans into over‑the‑top action and comedy, but its PG‑13 rating has left some fans wishing for a more adult edge. At 97 minutes, director Scott Waugh promises a brisk, adrenaline‑filled ride.
Despite the timing odds, Ritchson is having a breakout year, with Reacher season four, the Neagley spinoff, and a holiday comedy with Arnold Schwarzenegger all slated for 2026. Early word‑of‑mouth for Runner is positive, and even if the theatrical run falters, the movie could follow the path of his dialogue‑light thriller Motor City, finding a second wind on VOD and streaming platforms.
Gal Gadot’s latest thriller is stumbling on Prime Video despite a high‑stakes premise and her blockbuster name.
Nielsen’s first post‑debut numbers show that The Runner, which hit Prime Video on September 2, is lagging behind expectations. The data, released a month after the film’s launch, confirms that the action‑thriller’s weak critical reception has translated into modest streaming viewership, a surprising outcome for a star of Gadot’s caliber.
The movie pits Gadot’s character—a mother whose son is kidnapped—against a relentless, phone‑guided chase across London. The real‑time structure forces her to sprint from one location to another, echoing the tense, clock‑ticking formulas of Taken, Speed and Phone Booth. The premise promises constant danger and emotional stakes, but the execution has not resonated with audiences the way its genre predecessors did.
Critics have been unforgiving, and the early Nielsen figures suggest the film hasn’t broken through the crowded streaming landscape. Gadot’s recent high‑budget Netflix venture Red Notice and her iconic Wonder Woman role set a high bar, yet The Runner’s more modest, contained thriller format hasn’t leveraged her name into a streaming hit.
For Prime Video, the film serves as an early barometer of whether a blockbuster action star can successfully pivot to a smaller‑scale streaming vehicle. For fans, the tepid performance raises questions about how much star power alone can lift a thriller when reviews are unfavorable, and whether the platform will double down on similar projects in the future.