EXCLUSIVE: David Zayas (Dexter, Oz) has joined the cast of Edgar Wright‘s Paramount feature The Running Man, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King that the author first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. He portrays Richard Manuel, sources close to production tell Deadline.
He joins the previously announced cast of Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Katy O’Brian, Daniel Ezra, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Jayme Lawson and William H. Macy.
The Running Man is set in an oppressive future where the government controls the media. The story follows Ben Richards (Powell) as he volunteers to participate in a deadly game show, which will see him hunted by professional killers over 30 days. Should he survive, he’ll win a cash prize that will help save his sick child and lift his family out of a horrid living situation.
Edgar Wright is directing the project and co-wrote the script with Michael Bacall. Simon Kinberg, Nira Park and Wright are producing.
Zayas is best known for portraying Angel Batista on the Showtime hit series Dexter. He reprised the role in the limited series continuation of the OG series Dexter: New Blood, which shattered records for the network becoming the most-watched series in Showtime’s history. He is also recognized for bringing to life the character of Enrique Morales in the HBO prison drama series Oz. Most recently, he worked opposite his real-life wife—and newly minted Emmy Award winner— Liza Colón-Zayas, on the highly lauded FX series The Bear. Additional TV credits include Hulu’s Shut Eye, Fox’s Gotham, Bloodline for Netflix), Blue Bloods for CBS, FBI for CBS, and FX’s Pose.
His film credits include The Interpreter, Michael Clayton and The Expendables, among many others. On stage, he most recently starred in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s Brooklyn Laundry, written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. He is repped by ATA Management, Buchwald and Shreck, Rose and Adams.