Lee Pace On Playing The Running Man’s Masked Villain Evan McCone

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I just finished watching The Running Man and it was a wild ride! Glen Powell plays Ben Richards, a guy desperately trying to win a billion-dollar prize so he can help his daughter and give his family a better life. The catch? He has to survive for 30 days while being hunted across the globe as part of a brutal game show. And let me tell you, Lee Pace as Evan McCone is seriously menacing – a cool villain you love to hate. It’s a great adaptation of Stephen King’s story, full of action and suspense.

In a conversation with Ash Crossan from ScreenRant, actor Bill Pace discussed his role as the hunter in The Running Man. The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor admitted he was initially unsure about playing a character who wears a mask throughout the entire film, saying he wasn’t sure how it would work out.

Everything shifted, though, when Edgar Wright and the costume designers started creating both the mask and the entire costume together. Luke Evans remembers seeing himself in the mirror, fully dressed, and instantly knowing, “That’s him.” He still felt he needed to consider the complexities of the character, which ultimately helped him understand how to truly play the role.

It’s a process of discovery when building a character like this. I ended up with someone very cool and calm, almost indifferent to the violence around him. I actually found that contrast amusing – he’d be a killer even on social media like Tumblr.

I’ve been thinking about the villain, McCone, and Pace really helped me understand him. It turns out the mask isn’t just a disguise – it’s central to who he is. He clearly loves being a famous killer, having a signature line and even posing for those creepy posters showing off his gun. It’s like he’s desperate for attention, constantly performing for the audience. Pace pointed out that this makes McCone incredibly unpredictable – he could literally be lurking anywhere! He even playfully warned us to ‘be good,’ which is unsettling but also brilliant. It really highlights how much McCone is playing a role, and how dangerous that makes him.

That persona is a disguise, concealing his true self. It allows others to see what they want to see in him, and that’s actually the appealing part of wearing it. McCone simply wants a normal life – walking his dog, going to the mall with friends – without being recognized. That’s why he needs the mask while competing on The Running Man.

Edgar Wright has brought the character of McCone back into the story of The Running Man, aiming for a more accurate adaptation of the original novel than the version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. McCone isn’t just the main hunter on the game show and a major opponent for Richards; he also represents the story’s commentary on society’s fascination with violent and exploitative entertainment, a point similar to what Pace observed about how audiences identify with the content.

Early reactions suggest that Pace and Wright have successfully blended entertaining action with thoughtful social themes in their film, The Running Man. Although audiences might not sympathize with the villain, McCone, due to his masked appearance and malicious nature, there’s a possibility Wright has added layers to the character, especially in the film’s dramatic climax, building upon the original story.

Dive further into the world of The Running Man with:

  • Our interview with Glen Powell, revealing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s review of the new Running Man
  • Our interview with Edgar Wright, discussing an emotional Brolin family Easter egg
  • The first reactions to The Running Man

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2025-11-06 19:20