J.K. Simmons Is A Serial Killer In You Can’t Run Forever Trailer & Poster

Summary Screen Rant debuts the poster and trailer for You Can't Run Forever, starring J.K. Simmons as a serial killer.

Simmons' thoughtful decision to avoid playing "truly scary bad guys" in the past due to his family shows a different side to the acclaimed actor.

Don't miss the release of You Can't Run Forever on May 17.

You Can’t Run Forever is a new thriller starring Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons, and Screen Rant has a look at the trailer. Formerly titled The Woods and first announced in 2021, the movie was directed by Michelle Shumacher (I’m Not Here) and written by Shumacher and Carolyn Carpenter. In addition to Simmons, the movie’s cast includes Fernanda Urrejola (Narcos: Mexico), Allen Leech (Bohemian Rhapsody), Isabelle Anaya (Donny’s Bar Mitzvah), and Olivia Simmons (Honor Student).

Screen Rant has a look at the You Can’t Run Forever trailer and poster, which detail the look and story of the movie. The thriller movie is about Miranda (Anaya), a young woman suffering from anxiety, who becomes the next target of a serial killer (Simmons). Miranda finds herself in the woods, doing her best to evade the killer in a fight for her life. Take a look at the trailer, check out the poster, and get ready to watch the movie when it hits theaters, digital, and On Demand on May 17.

You Can’t Run Forever Is A New Kind Of Starring Role For J.K. Simmons

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As seen by the trailer, You Can’t Run Forever offers something very different than even J.K. Simmons’ most memorable roles. The actor has played plenty of unhinged characters—Fletcher in Whiplash and J. Jonah Jameson in multiple Spider-Man films are great examples—but the cold, murderous intent he displays as the serial killer Wade is something else entirely. It’s an exciting turn by the Academy Award winner, who certainly seems to sell the role in the trailer.

The only exception to the above is Simmons’ turn as Omni-Man in Invincible, as that character is famously ruthless and powerful. Simmons is cold and threatening in that role as well, but the major difference is that Invincible is animated. Hearing Simmons voice Omni-Man even during the character’s most brutal moments isn’t the same as watching him hunt Anaya’s Miranda through the woods in You Can’t Run Forever. Even though there is a live-action Invincible movie in the works, J.K. Simmons wants someone else as Omni-Man for that project.

As for why Simmons hasn’t played someone as brutal as the serial killer Wade until now—the answer is actually rather heartwarming. Speaking with Deadline, Simmons said, “I didn’t want to play any truly scary bad guys when our kids were young, partly because of how it might affect them if they saw the film and also because I didn’t want to bring that energy home with me after an intense day on the set.” It’s a thoughtful approach that ultimately allowed for the creation of the best J.K. Simmons movies, and it’ll now be interesting to see how Simmons plays someone “truly scary”.