A routine morning run becomes a race for survival in “The Runner,” a new psychological thriller starring Gal Gadot as a high-powered London lawyer forced to obey a kidnapper’s increasingly dangerous commands.
Directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (“One Day in September”) and written by Mark Gibson (“The Wild,” “Snow Dogs”), the Amazon MGM Studios film unfolds across London’s crowded streets and Underground tunnels, transforming the city into a sprawling trap where stopping is not an option.
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Gadot stars as Maia Marten, a sharp, resourceful attorney who has built her career by staying one step ahead. That confidence is shattered during her morning run when she receives a phone call informing her that her son has been kidnapped.
The instructions are merciless: Maia must keep moving, follow every command, and tell no one. If she stops, her son dies.
What follows is a high-stakes chase across the city as Maia carries out a series of sinister demands while searching for a way to outmaneuver the person controlling her every move. With each decision carrying potentially fatal consequences, she must determine how far she is prepared to go to bring her child home.
Macdonald has previously explored survival, political violence, and moral pressure in films including “The Last King of Scotland,” “Touching the Void,” “State of Play,” and “Black Sea.” “The Runner” appears to bring those interests into a tightly wound urban thriller built around momentum, surveillance, and a parent pushed beyond her limits.
The supporting cast includes Damian Lewis (“Billions,” “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”), Rory Wilmot (“Harry Potter,” “Unchosen”), and Alfred Enoch (the “Harry Potter” franchise).
“The Runner” will be released by Amazon MGM Studios on September 2, 2026. Watch the trailer below.
