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When Glen Powell discovered that director Edgar Wright was settling in to watch “Hit Man,” the 2023 film he starred in, he seized the opportunity to reach out. In a playful text to Wright, reported by The Wrap, Powell quipped, “Consider this my audition tape.” This film seemed to plant the seed for Wright’s vision of Powell as the everyman Ben Richards in his upcoming project, “The Running Man.” However, a crucial step remained: securing the approval of Stephen King, the author of the book on which the film is based. To win King over, Wright decided to screen “Hit Man,” the very film that had enamored him with Powell’s talents.
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Despite Powell’s growing fame in Hollywood, King had yet to see him in a leading role, even though Powell had already made his mark in films like “Anyone But You” and “Twisters.” It was “Hit Man,” however, that truly showcased Powell’s impressive range.
Powell recalled the moment when Wright offered him the role in “The Running Man,” only to quickly add an important caveat: “Stephen King has to approve of you.” Wright told Powell that King would be watching “Hit Man” that evening. Reflecting on the experience, Powell humorously remembered bringing a bottle of champagne to Wright’s place, only to later rejoice in King’s approval and ongoing support.
Contrary to what its title might suggest, “Hit Man” isn’t about a professional killer. Instead, it follows the story of Gary Johnson, an introverted psychology professor played by Powell. Gary moonlights for the New Orleans police department, posing as a hitman to help them catch criminals. His unassuming demeanor makes him surprisingly effective in these sting operations. However, the plot thickens when a woman named Madison, portrayed by Adria Arjona, asks him to kill her husband.
The film, which received high praise from Looper, is loosely inspired by the true story of a professor named Gary Johnson who worked undercover for the police in the 1980s and ’90s. It was Powell’s idea, alongside co-writer and director Richard Linklater, to take creative liberties and have his character don various disguises, adding a memorable twist to the film.
What is Hit Man about?
Netflix
Wright was clearly taken with the creativity and execution in “Hit Man,” which ultimately persuaded King to greenlight Powell for “The Running Man.” Even though “The Running Man” did not perform well at the box office, Powell remains enthusiastic about being part of the project, considering Wright “one of the great filmmakers.”
The movie — which got an A+ review from Looper — is loosely based on the story of the real Gary Johnson, a professor who posed as a hitman for the police in the 1980s and ’90s. However, it was Powell who suggested that he and his co-writer and director, Richard Linklater, could go outside the facts and, in perhaps the most memorable part of the film, put Powell’s character in all types of disguises as a fake assassin.
Wright clearly adored what Linklater and Powell did with the film, and “Hit Man” convinced King to approve of Powell for “The Running Man.” And even though “The Running Man” appears to be a box office failure, Powell is likely still thrilled to be a part of it because, according to him, Wright is “one of the great filmmakers.”
