Owen Wilson spotted working out on Gold Coast as filming begins on action-thriller Runner

Stars Owen Wilson and Alan Ritchson have been spotted on Gold Coast beaches as filming gets underway for blockbuster action-thriller Runner.

Film crews for Bear Country on the streets and beaches around Snapper Rocks on Tuesday. Picture Glenn Hampson

Hollywood has officially landed on the Gold Coast, with stars Owen Wilson and Alan Ritchson spotted working out on local beaches as filming gets underway for the blockbuster action-thriller Runner.

Filming is now underway across Brisbane and the Gold Coast for the big-budget thriller starring Reacher’s Alan Ritchson and Wedding Crashers’ Owen Wilson.

Alan Ritchson. Photo: Storm Santos.

Owen Wilson. Photo by Anthony Harvey.

The film, backed by Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, is set to inject around $20 million into the state’s economy and create jobs for nearly 90 local cast and crew.

Runner follows a high-end courier, played by Ritchson, racing to deliver a lifesaving organ to a young girl — only to be caught in a deadly chase when others try to intercept it. Wilson will play Ben, a medical courier that Ritchson is begrudgingly forced to transport and protect.

Both Hollywood stars have wasted no time making themselves right at home, with Wilson braving Wednesday morning’s wet weather for a workout session on the beach, while Ritchson was also seen squeezing in exercise between takes.

Unlike many international productions that use Queensland to double for other global locations, Runner is set entirely in the Sunshine State and celebrates its urban and coastal identity on screen.

Arts minister John-Paul Langbroek said the production was a major win for Queensland’s booming screen sector.

Behind the scenes photos from the Godzilla vs. Kong film set at the Gold Coast. Photos: Nathan McIlroy.

“From gritty urban thrillers like Runner to beachside blockbusters like Ticket to Paradise, the Sunshine State always looks incredible on the big screen and it’s great that the international producers wanted to feature Queensland as Queensland for this film,” he said.

Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said the state’s growing appeal to global producers was not just about scenery but also infrastructure, crew, and government support.

“Queensland is a film-friendly state with a highly skilled crew base and an array of locations close to studio and post-production facilities,” she said.

“With the strong backing of state and federal governments through competitive incentives, we are well positioned to deliver outstanding results for productions across a range of budgets and technical requirements.”

The high-octane thriller is being directed by Expendables 4 filmmaker Scott Waugh and produced by Nickel City Pictures and A Higher Standard—the same team behind Bear Country, which wrapped in Queensland just last month and starred Russell Crowe, Aaron Paul, Teresa Palmer, Nina Dobrev, and Luke Evans.