When it comes to actors with great momentum, few stand out as much as Glen Powell currently does. Ever since Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, Powell has been starring in some of the most talked-about movies with big box office returns, such as Anyone But You, Twisters, and even a foray into television with Chad Powers. With the recent release of The Running Man, Powell joins an incredibly long line of actors who have appeared in Stephen King adaptations, which might include over half of Hollywood at this point. However, that list of names doesn’t mean King lets anyone play the characters he created on the page. In fact, Stephen King didn’t give his permission for Powell’s involvement until after he watched one of Powell’s most underrated films: Hit Man. While on the surface, the film may not seem to be related to The Running Man, it actually showcases why Powell was the right choice for the new adaptation of King’s work.
What is ‘Hit Man’ About?
As previously mentioned, Hit Man‘s premise couldn’t seem further away from The Running Man. Rather than a dystopian world where a game show is set up with everybody hunting and recording the participants, Hit Man is a grounded comedy that pokes fun at some of the more ridiculous aspects of action films. Glen Powell’s Gary is regarded by society as a loser who is both a teacher and a part-time assistant to the police in undercover surveillance. When one of the undercover officers, Jasper (Austin Amelio), is suspended, Gary must replace him as a pretend hitman who gains confessions from would-be employers of his services.
Under the guise of Ron, Gary meets a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) who wants her husband murdered, and the two form a connection that drags Gary into a complex game of keeping secrets from both Madison and the police. Hit Man is, at its core, primarily about whether someone can truly change. The arc Powell goes on is impressive, with Gary slowly taking on more and more of Ron’s persona. However, Hit Man also makes a commentary on how too much change can end up with someone losing a part of themselves, and potentially being corrupted.
Stephen King Used ‘Hit Man’ to Decide Whether Glen Powell Was Right For ‘The Running Man’
With Hit Man being one of Glen Powell’s more underrated films, it might have surprised him to learn that this was what Stephen King was going to base his approval of Powell on, but that’s exactly what happened. During New York Comic-Con, via People, Powell explained that Hit Man director Edgar Wright “offered me this movie, and I was like, ‘Yes.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s go…’” The pressure to deliver on an adaptation of the legendary author’s work might be bad enough, but Wright decided to heighten the anxiety by only telling Powell later on that “By the way, like, you have to be approved by Stephen King. He’s [going to] watch Hit Man tonight.” Powell described the feeling as “terrible” and it’s easy to see why. Perhaps it is a sign of how much Wright believed in the Anyone But You star that he would get his hopes up and then fill him with terror. If that is the case, at least Hit Man was the perfect film for King to watch to approve of Powell.
Glen Powell’s Character in ‘Hit Man’ Parallels ‘The Running Man’s Descent Into Mania
While it is not as manic as The Running Man, Powell’s role does show his ability to portray a man who slowly embraces violence. By the end of the film, Gary has accepted his ability to lie and murder, seizing the life he wants for himself, which is similar to how Ben in The Running Man is trying to win the game show to gain agency. Powell’s Gary lives in a state of paranoia for the second half of the film, switching between desperation and the charisma audiences have grown accustomed to seeing from him over several films. In doing so, it parallels how Powell’s character in The Running Man could be attacked at any moment.
In the end, Edgar Wright’s confidence in Glenn Powell has been proven correct. Not only did Stephen King approve, but Powell’s performance in The Running Man has received both audience and critical praise. Hit Man may not be the film you immediately think of when reviewing Powell’s filmography, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of your attention, and it being on Netflix makes it the perfect date-night film.
Hit Man is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
- Release Date
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May 24, 2024
- Runtime
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116 minutes
- Director
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Richard Linklater
- Producers
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Jason Bateman, John Sloss, Julie Goldstein, Steve Barnett, Stuart Ford, Glen Powell, Michael Costigan, Alan Powell, Shivani Rawat, Mike Blizzard, Miguel Palos, Vicky Patel, Megan Creydt, Scott Brown
