Runner is a high-octane 2026 action thriller starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson. Directed by Scott Waugh, the film follows Hank Malone, a former soldier and high-end courier who is given a seemingly impossible assignment: transport a critical medical delivery to a dying child. What begins as a race against the clock quickly turns into a deadly pursuit when a powerful crime syndicate attempts to steal the medical cargo.
What makes Runner particularly interesting is that the filmmakers didn’t simply use Australia as a generic backdrop. The production was actually built around Queensland’s Brisbane and Gold Coast, with the filmmakers adapting parts of the story to showcase the region’s urban environments and landscapes. Production began in Queensland in March 2025, with local authorities estimating a significant economic contribution from the shoot.
So, where exactly was Runner filmed? Here is a complete look at the movie’s confirmed shooting locations.
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Runner Release Date
Runner is scheduled to arrive in U.S. theaters on September 11, 2026, through Angel Studios. The film has a runtime of approximately 1 hour and 37 minutes and is rated PG-13.
The Australian theatrical release is scheduled for September 10, 2026, one day before the U.S. release. The movie was directed by Scott Waugh, whose previous work includes Need for Speed, Hidden Strike and Expend4bles. The screenplay was written by Tommy White and Miles Hubley.
The main cast includes Alan Ritchson as Hank Malone, Owen Wilson as Ben Bishop, Leila George, Rodrigo Santoro, Peta Sergeant and other supporting performers.
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The first major filming location for Runner was Brisbane, Queensland. Production officially began on March 31, 2025, in Brisbane and continued in the surrounding region.
Brisbane was an especially important choice because the movie is built around movement. Hank’s mission involves transporting medical cargo while being pursued by dangerous criminals, meaning the filmmakers needed streets, highways, bridges and urban environments suitable for chase sequences.
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The city’s combination of modern architecture, riverfront areas, major roads and suburban neighborhoods provided plenty of opportunities for practical action filming.
Rather than making Brisbane look like an anonymous American city, the production embraced the Australian environment. Queensland’s film authorities have highlighted the movie as an example of a major international production using the state’s locations and local filmmaking infrastructure.
The production also employed local cast and crew members, contributing an estimated $20 million to the Queensland economy and creating jobs for nearly 90 local cast and crew during filming.
Brisbane’s Urban Landscapes
One of the advantages of filming in Brisbane was the city’s ability to provide different visual environments without requiring the production to travel long distances.
The film’s story requires Hank and his partner to keep moving, so streets and transportation routes become almost characters themselves.
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Brisbane’s urban landscape allowed director Scott Waugh to stage practical action sequences while keeping the camera close to the characters.
This is particularly important for a movie like Runner. The tension comes from the fact that Hank has very little time to complete his mission. Every traffic jam, roadblock and detour can potentially cost the characters their chance of saving the child.
The real Queensland environment therefore helps make the chase feel more physical and immediate.
Gold Coast, Queensland
The second major filming location was the Gold Coast, also in Queensland. Production moved between Brisbane and the Gold Coast during the March-May 2025 shoot. IMDb lists both Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland as the film’s filming locations.
The Gold Coast gave the production a completely different collection of environments. Known internationally for its beaches, skyline, roads, suburbs and mixture of urban and natural scenery, the region can easily double for multiple locations within the same movie.
For Runner, this was particularly valuable because the story covers a long and dangerous journey. The filmmakers could use different parts of the Gold Coast to make the characters appear to be traveling through different areas without leaving Queensland.
The area’s roads and open spaces were also suitable for action photography.
Queensland Was More Than a Stand-In
One of the most interesting details about Runner is that Queensland was not simply chosen because it could imitate another location.
According to production reports, the filmmakers and writers embraced Queensland and rewrote parts of the script to reflect the unique energy of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. That means the locations had a direct influence on the finished movie.
This approach can make an action film feel more distinctive. Instead of shooting a generic chase in a familiar American city, Runner uses Australian streets, architecture and landscapes as part of its identity.
It also explains why Queensland appears so prominently in promotional material surrounding the production.
Brisbane and Gold Coast Action Sequences
The movie’s premise naturally requires plenty of action. Hank Malone is a former soldier who has to transport an organ or other critical medical delivery to a hospital while criminals attempt to intercept it. The mission becomes increasingly dangerous as the clock runs down.
This type of story benefits enormously from real locations. Brisbane’s streets can provide tight urban chase environments, while the wider Gold Coast area can provide roads and landscapes where the characters have more room to move.
Using actual locations also allows the filmmakers to capture natural traffic, weather and geography, giving the chase sequences a more grounded appearance. For Scott Waugh, whose filmography includes several action-heavy productions, practical environments are an important part of creating convincing set pieces.
Did Runner Film Outside Australia?
Based on the available production information, Queensland is the principal confirmed filming region for Runner. IMDb lists Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland as the filming locations, while Screen Global Production reported that filming began in those two Queensland locations.
There are some production databases that contain conflicting location information, but the strongest location-specific reporting points to Queensland as the central filming base. The movie’s production was also officially supported by the Australian and Queensland governments, further confirming the importance of the region to the shoot.
Therefore, unlike many Hollywood action films that jump between several countries, Runner appears to have kept its main production concentrated in southeastern Queensland.
When Did Runner Finish Filming?
Filming began on March 31, 2025, in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. By May 13, 2025, Alan Ritchson announced that production had wrapped.
That means the main shoot was completed in roughly six weeks. Despite the relatively short production period, the filmmakers managed to capture a large variety of Queensland environments for the movie.
The efficient schedule was possible partly because Brisbane and the Gold Coast are geographically close enough to allow production crews to move between different types of locations without the logistical difficulties associated with an international shoot.
Why Was Queensland Chosen for Runner?
There are several reasons Queensland worked so well for the movie. First, the region offers a mixture of modern cities, highways, beaches, suburban neighborhoods and natural landscapes.
Second, Queensland has an established film-production infrastructure and experienced local crews. Third, the Australian government and Queensland authorities actively support international productions that bring investment and employment to the state. Runner was one of several major productions attracted to Queensland during 2025.
Most importantly, the filmmakers saw creative potential in the region. Instead of hiding Queensland, the production incorporated its identity into the movie. That gives Runner a visual style that should feel different from a conventional American action thriller.
The Locations Match the Movie’s Race Against Time
The locations of Runner are closely connected to its story. Hank has only a few hours to complete his mission, meaning the movie needs environments that can support constant movement. Brisbane provides the dense urban setting, while the Gold Coast expands the geography of the chase.
Together, the two locations create a believable journey without requiring the filmmakers to travel across multiple countries. The Queensland setting also gives the movie an interesting contrast. Beautiful Australian landscapes are placed alongside explosions, criminal pursuits and a desperate medical mission.
That contrast can make the action feel even more dramatic. Runner (2026) was primarily filmed in Queensland, Australia, with Brisbane and the Gold Coast serving as the two major confirmed shooting locations. Production began on March 31, 2025, and wrapped in May, with the filmmakers using the region’s urban streets, roads and distinctive landscapes for the movie’s action sequences.
Rather than treating Australia simply as a substitute for another country, the production embraced Queensland’s identity. The filmmakers even adapted aspects of the screenplay to reflect the energy of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
With Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson leading the cast and Scott Waugh directing, Runner combines a ticking-clock medical mission with crime, comedy and action. Its Queensland filming locations provide the physical backdrop for that increasingly dangerous journey.
When the movie reaches theaters on September 11, 2026, audiences will see plenty of Queensland’s distinctive scenery alongside the film’s explosions, car chases and high-stakes action.
