A stunning £32k futuristic car was the surprise star at the Running Man premiere – with fans asking how they can get their hands on one. Among the Hollywood faces of stars Josh Brolin and Jayme Lawson walking the red carpet, was the statement electric motor. The vehicle took pride of place as the backdrop to the stars’ photos last night following its vital role in the film.
While it’s not unusual for cars to have their own scenes, the Alpine A290 takes up a generous 15 minutes of screen time, driven by Emilia Jones’ character as she aids Glen Powell’s Ben Richards in a desperate stand against a dystopian society.
Nicola Burnside, brand director at Alpine cars said: “For Hollywood to recognise the A290’s star power and put it at the heart of the incredible The Running Man movie is a great honour.
“It was a delight to be able to help supply the cars for this amazing movie – and extra-special to put the A290 on display so the cast, crew and VIPs could get up close ahead of the premiere in the iconic Leicester Square.”
The sporty vehicle reaches 220hp at maximum power and goes from zero to 62mph in just six seconds, and in total, three Alpine A290s were used for filming by Paramount across two key locations, in Romania and the United Kingdom.
Finished in Tornado Grey, and featuring some futuristic colour, trim and technical embellishments to add to the film’s futuristic appeal, A290 is on screen for around 15 minutes in total as Ben Richards and Ameilia Williams combine forces in their efforts to evade their pursuers.
Multiple cars were required to help director Edgar Wright and his team get shots from as wide a variety of angles as possible, as well as to ensure continuity in filming over a three-month shoot schedule.
The film is the second adaptation of the Stephen King story originally published in 1982 as part of omnibus collection – the Bachman Books – under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.
The original 1987 film, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, was set in a dystopian 2017 with the new version taking place in an “alternate 2025” – much like King’s short story.
Nicola added: “Car scenes are iconic in many films and to see our vehicle take centre stage for a good chunk of time in the movie was great.
“It’s only right it had its own space on the red carpet among the other stars of the silver screen.
“The vehicle is widely available now, for fans wishing to enjoy their own slice of Hollywood.”