From his portrayal of Larry Underwood in the recent The Stand miniseries, to his remarkable turn as young Will Reeves a.k.a.
Hooded Justice in HBO’s Watchmen, Adepo clearly has the skills to play a version of Richards who deeply contrasts with the Arnold Schwarzenegger version and deliver a dark and powerful performance as the hero.
This is a role that requires an actor who exudes fortitude and resilience, and Adepo has proven consistently that he both has those qualities, and is one of the most talented up-and-coming stars in the industry.
I previously wrote a feature detailing my argument as to why Ben Richards should be a Black character, so in an effort to not repeat myself I’ll just focus on why Jovan Adepo is the right pick to play the protagonist of The Running Man – a destitute and desperate citizen of a horrible future who agrees to be the contestant on a televised nationwide manhunt so that he can afford medicine for his wife and dying child.