Glen Powell reveals what Arnold Schwarzenegger said about action movies (Exclusive)

Before taking on the role in The Running Man, Glen Powell got insight into starring in action movies from a very experienced group.

The 37-year-old Twisters actor will take center stage in the dystopian action film, which is a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 film of the same name.

Powell, who attended the film’s premiere on Sunday, Nov. 9, at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City, spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about what Schwarzenegger and other friends told him about entering the action genre.

“It was interesting talking to Schwarzenegger the other day,” Powell said, recalling that his “Expendables 3” co-star “watched the movie” and “got hooked.”

Powell continued, “He was so excited, but he said to me, he said…And all my friends who have been in action movies have said this (to me). They were saying, ‘I don’t think you realize you’re in front of an action movie and you’re in it’ — again, in this movie, the whole world is chasing this one guy — I tell them the premise. They’re like, “Oh, it’s going to be, it’s going to be something. It’s going to be intense.” And it’s true. ”

“To do it right, to do one of these movies right, and I’m really proud of what we did with this movie… It’s very, it’s very physical. It’s very emotional, it’s everything,” says Powell.

In April, Powell told PEOPLE that he and Running Man director Edgar Wright spoke with Schwarzenegger before remaking the original film, which also starred Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown and Jesse Ventura.

“Arnold gave us his blessing,” the Anyone But You star admitted, adding that they chatted on FaceTime. “[My son]Patrick Schwarzenegger is a great friend of mine, and he asked Patrick if he could talk to Arnold, but he hadn’t seen Arnold since filming ‘The Expendables’ in Bulgaria.”

Schwarzenegger recently called Running Man “the only movie I’ve ever wanted to make again.”

“Well, this one stepped it up a notch and did exactly that. The action was incredibly creative,” gushed Powell and Wright in a video shared on Instagram.

Powell and Schwarzenegger play Ben Richards in The Running Man, which is loosely based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel of the same name.

“In a near-future society, Running Man is the highest-rated show on television in a dangerous competition in which contestants known as Runners must survive for 30 days while being chased by professional assassins, with their every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and bigger prizes each day,” the film’s official synopsis reads.

“Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a working class man who wants to save his sick daughter, is persuaded to join the game as a last resort by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin). Ben’s rebelliousness, instincts, and grit make him an unexpected fan favorite and a threat to the entire system. As ratings soar, so does the danger, and Ben must outsmart not only Hunter, but the public who are hooked on watching him fall. ”

Appearing on Entertainment Tonight in July, Powell admitted that the movie inspired him to tackle some impressive stunts, even though his mother wasn’t a big fan of the idea.

Never miss a news. Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to human interest stories.

“I’m supposed to be doing something really great,” he told the outlet, adding, “It really worries my mom.”

In addition to The Running Man, which opens in theaters on Friday, November 14th, Powell has another big gig coming up. The actor will host the November 15 episode of Saturday Night Live.

“I’m so excited. Hosting SNL is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” he gushed to People at the premiere. “I had to go last night. I went to see it and it was just so surreal. It was just so surreal. It’s such an amazing moment when your childhood dreams come true. So, like me, I’ve been waiting to be on that stage for as long as I can remember. So I’m really excited.”

“Running Man” will be released in theaters on November 14th.