On The Run in Glasgow: Inside the World of Edgar Wright's 'The Running Man'

The latest film from the highly acclaimed director Edgar Wright, The Running Man, brings a fresh, modern, high-octane revival of the Schwarzenegger classic, based on the 1982 dystopian novel by Stephen King. Starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards, the story is set in a near-future United States where a desperate man enters a deadly televised competition to save his sick daughter. Joining Powell is a powerhouse supporting cast including Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Michael Cera, Lee Pace and others, all bringing Wright’s blend of satire, suspense, and retro-futurist spectacle to life.

One of the standout production features is the use of Glasgow as a major filming base. The city’s historic architecture, broad boulevards and dramatic urban fabric were harnessed to represent the film’s dystopian backdrop. Streets such as Cadogan Street, Renfrew Street, Union Street and others were transformed for location shoots. These areas aren't shy to the cameras, having been used many times in major blockbusters and iconic TV drama's, playing host to National Treasures and TV icons.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through how you can visit some of these filming locations in Glasgow, walking the same streets that appear on screen, discovering the hidden corners that became part of the movie’s world, and getting a deeper appreciation for how place, architecture and cityscape shaped the film’s style and mood.

Princes House, West Campbell Street

Princes House, the prominent monochrome corner building at West Campbell Street and Waterloo Street, was one of the city-centre locations Edgar Wright’s crew used when shooting The Running Man. For the film the block was temporarily transformed so that Princes House reads on screen as part of the movie’s dystopian urban landscape, at one point appearing as a high-street pharmacy as Glen Powell’s character walks through the area.

The production closed sections of West Campbell Street for short bursts of filming in November 2024, bringing in production trucks, lighting rigs and prop vans to dress the street. Crews used the building’s corner lines and wide pavements for moving camera setups, perfect for tracking shots of Glen striding past storefronts, while the background action helped sell the film’s imagined city. This use of Princes House and West Campbell Street helps move your eye-line down the street with shop frontage and neon lights. You will also see how the street sign outside the building was cleverly adapted for the screen but still lines up with the screen.

Cadogan Square

Cadogan Square in central Glasgow became one of the standout locations for The Running Man, giving Edgar Wright’s dystopian vision more of a gritty urban backdrop. The square’s architecture and street scale made it perfect for transforming into a chaotic “arena” environment, complete with set dressing like market stalls, street signage, and extras.

During filming, the production temporarily closed the square and surrounding streets, bringing in lighting rigs, camera tracks, and background actors to create immersive crowd scenes. Its open layout and architectural lines allowed for wide establishing shots as well as close-ups, helping the filmmakers convey tension and scale in the movie’s city sequences.

If you visit Cadogan Square today, you can spot the locations where key shots were staged: pay attention to the street corners, building façades, and pavement layouts. Stand at the Cadogan Street and Wellington Street junction for a vantage point that mirrors the film’s camera angles, and you’ll start to see how Glasgow’s streets were transformed into the high-stakes world of The Running Man.

The concrete brutalist structure of the office block and buildings, with its boxed windows and tall foundation pillars make for a strong American double that keeps bringing productions back.

Union Place & Union Street

Union Place — a narrow alley just off Union Street near Glasgow Central Station — provided the perfect setting for some of The Running Man’s tense urban sequences. Its industrial feel, tall façades, and tight sightlines gave the film a gritty, dystopian edge.

During filming, the crew closed the alley and brought in props such as rusted cars, signage, and extras to create a bustling, lived-in environment. The lane’s enclosed nature allowed for dynamic camera setups, including close-ups and tracking shots of the lead character navigating the space.

Visitors can walk down Union Place today and imagine the film’s high-stakes moments. Notice the tall buildings and narrow pavement where the crew staged action scenes — it’s easy to picture the chase sequences and dramatic camera angles as you explore the alley.

Savoy Centre, Renfrew Street

The Savoy Centre on Renfrew Street served as a key urban backdrop for The Running Man, with its broad frontage and mid-century architectural style lending itself to the film’s dystopian cityscape. The production used the pavement and exterior façades to stage both character and background action.

During filming, the area was temporarily closed for set dressing, with props, vehicles, and extras enhancing the street’s cinematic transformation. The building’s scale and clean lines allowed for wide establishing shots and close-up sequences alike, making it a versatile filming location.

For fans visiting today, standing on Renfrew Street facing the Savoy Centre offers a chance to compare the real-life location with its on-screen appearance. The pavement, entrance, and surrounding street layouts give insight into how filmmakers adapted Glasgow’s streets for the movie’s urban world.

Scottish Event Campus & OVO Hydro

The SEC campus and OVO Hydro were used for large-scale, visually striking scenes in The Running Man. The Hydro’s distinctive exterior and the open spaces around the SEC provided the perfect backdrop for action sequences, including chase and crowd scenes, turning Glasgow into the film’s dystopian metropolis.

Filming involved temporary closures of streets and plazas, with lighting rigs, vehicles, and extras arranged to create immersive citywide shots. The campus’s wide open areas allowed the crew to stage stunts and complex sequences efficiently while maintaining continuity in the film’s dynamic urban aesthetic.

Visitors can walk around the SEC and OVO Hydro today to see where the action unfolded. Pay attention to the arena’s façade and the surrounding plaza — these are the same areas captured in the movie, and their scale and architecture help explain why the filmmakers chose them for high-impact shots.

Exploring The Running Man’s filming locations across Glasgow was an unforgettable experience, one that perfectly blended my love of film tourism with the city’s vibrant, cinematic character. Walking the same streets that Glen Powell’s character raced down, from the shadowy lanes of Union Place to the futuristic curves of the OVO Hydro, gave me a deeper appreciation for how Glasgow can so effortlessly transform into a dystopian metropolis on screen.

Seeing the film after visiting the locations made it even more special. Every familiar landmark - the Savoy Centre, Cadogan Square, Princes House - felt like a personal Easter egg, a reminder of the city’s versatility and energy. Edgar Wright’s dynamic directing style captures Glasgow’s grit and beauty in equal measure, turning everyday corners into scenes of tension, excitement and atmosphere.

If you’re a film fan or simply love discovering cities through the lens of cinema, I can’t recommend this experience enough. Glasgow is not just a backdrop for The Running Man, it’s one of the film’s stars. So, lace up your walking shoes, grab your camera, and follow in my footsteps. Whether you’re wandering through the city centre’s bustling streets or standing beneath the glow of the Hydro, you’ll see just how powerfully film and place can intertwine.