The Maze Runner is a motion picture.
The Maze Runner is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction action thriller film directed by Wes Ball , in his directorial debut , based on James Dashner 's 2009 novel of the same name . The film is the first installment in The Maze Runner film series and was produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein , Wyck Godfrey , Marty Bowen , and Lee Stollman with a screenplay by Noah Oppenheim , Grant Pierce Myers and T.S. Nowlin . The film stars Dylan O'Brien , Kaya Scodelario , Aml Ameen , Thomas Brodie-Sangster , Ki Hong Lee , Will Poulter , and Patricia Clarkson . The film was also a commercial success , as it topped the box-office during its opening weekend with a $ 32.5 million debut , making it the seventh-highest grossing debut in September . The film earned over $ 348 million worldwide at the box-office , against its budget of $ 34 million .