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

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

All trailers

Thriller Action

The Runner

Official Trailer

Video: YouTube
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.

screenrant.com

Gal Gadot's Prime Video thriller The Runner stumbles after poor reviews — Image via headtopics.com,

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.

headtopics.com