The Maze Runner Finds Two More Clips And A Feature With Author James Dashner

By Brent McKnight | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

With less than a month to go until it hits theaters, 20th Century Fox has apparently kicked off the marketing push for The Maze Runner in earnest. The other day we showed you three TV spots and a clip, and today they’re back with a new pair of new clips and a featurette with James Dashner, who wrote the book the film is based on.

The story revolves around a place called the Glade. Full of teenage boys who have no idea who they are, how they got there, or why, giant walls pen them in, opening up every morning to reveal an elaborate maze. All they know is that if they want to figure a way out of this predicament, they have to solve the puzzle, and each day a group of runners set off into the corridors, searching for an exit. But they damn sure better be back before night, when the doors close again, because that’s when vicious monsters known as Grievers come out to play, and they play rough.

In order to keep the rest of the Gladers safe, there are strict rules in place, like you can’t go after anyone who doesn’t make it back before dark. New arrival Thomas (Teen Wolf’s Dylan O’Brien) is a rebel and doesn’t listen, and that’s where this first clip from IGN comes into play. He’s not just going to stand by and watch one of his new friends get trapped, that’s not how he rolls, so, as you can see, he sets off into the maze at the exact worst time.

Even in this short clip, totally out of context, you understand who Thomas is and what he’s all about. You also get a good feel for the action that is sure to be front and center, which is really what Dashner’s novel does best, keeps the pace moving.

Another rule in this pseudo-Lord of the Flies environment is that you don’t go into the maze unless you’re one of the “maze runners,” and you better believe this is an important position, one you have to earn your way into, and there’s a ton of training involved (can you see the montage?). But again Thomas is a rebel and not one to play by the rules. As you see, the maze is not only off limits, it’s also not the first stop on the “welcome to the Glade” tour, you have to build up to that.

You have to imagine that watching those doors close for the first time is a sight to behold, and even though The Maze Runner has a notably lower budget than some of its counterparts, director Wes Ball and his team appear to have done quite a bit with the resources at their disposal.

As a writer, it must be strange to see a story you made up and imagined in your head come to life in front of your very eyes. Dashner is in that position, and in this feature you get to go with him as he visits the set as they film a movie based on his book. And he seems thoroughly impressed and pleased with the results.

When The Maze Runner screened at Comic-Con last month the crowd was wildly positive (granted, it was all fans willing to wait in line for hours to see a sneak preview). And if already existing fans are satisfied, as well as Dashner (though some authors criticize movies based on their books, most remain quiet on the subject of adaptations), those are two big hurdles the production needs clear to be successful. Now they just need to convince everyone else to see their movie, and the studio is certainly doing their best to get there. You can rest assured that we’ll see much more from this movie before it hits theaters.

The Maze Runner opens everywhere on September 19.