A Closer Look at Glen Powell’s Die Hard-Inspired Stunts in the Running Man Clip

Key Information

• PEOPLE offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes video showcasing one of Glen Powell’s complex stunts in Running Man.
• Running Man is currently available for digital viewing.
• Powell describes one of his “crazy” action scenes as “essentially the entire Die Hard movie in 15 minutes.”

Glen Powell draws inspiration from Bruce Willis’s portrayal in Die Hard for a particularly intricate stunt sequence in Running Man. The film, directed by Edgar Wright, features Powell as Ben Richards, who finds himself evading hunters in nothing but a bath towel.

“The YVA, it’s a crazy set piece,” Powell, 37, states during the shoot. “I say it’s essentially the entire Die Hard movie in 15 minutes. It is badass. It is sick. And it is what we’re shooting today.”

Wright elaborates on the connection to Die Hard: “When you think about Bruce Willis in the first [film], when he was still ‘the guy from Moonlighting‘ and suddenly he’s in that situation, you fear for his life in a way that you don’t in later Bruce Willis movies or even the sequels. In the first one, you’re watching this action hero emerge and improvise a lot of the time.”

Glen Powell in “Running Man”.

Ross Ferguson/Paramount Pictures

In a discussion with Entertainment Weekly, Powell remarked that he had “no objections” when initially approached about the towel-clad scene—but his confidence waned when it came time to film. “I found it very, very funny and something that I’ve never seen in a movie before. We’ve all ordered food just after a shower. But can you imagine if there were guns involved?” he reflected, adding, “I regretted agreeing to it because I approved that scene in summertime, and we shot it in February on a rooftop in Bulgaria.”

Glen Powell in “Running Man”.

Ross Ferguson/Paramount Pictures

“So being in a towel in front of a crew is one thing, but being in a towel in February in frigid Bulgaria, it’s a sight,” Powell joked. “It’s a real sight.”

Running Man is now available for digital viewing, featuring an array of behind-the-scenes content, commentary, and deleted scenes.

The release also includes a stunt compilation that offers a “full-throttle look at the hits, falls, wire work, wipeouts, and perfectly timed chaos that fuel the film’s biggest moments,” according to a press release.

Based on a Stephen King novel, Running Man stars William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, Katy O’Brian, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin.

Running Man is now available on digital.