It's Officially The Start Of A New Era For Glen Powell's Record-Breaking R-Rated Thriller

Published Oct 11, 2026, 1:45 PM EDT Rachel Schneider is a news writer at ScreenRant with a background in entertainment journalism, breaking news, and digital media. She earned dual bachelor's degrees in Professional Writing and English from Michigan State University before beginning her career as a copy editor and freelance writer, building experience across editorial, lifestyle, and news content. Her work has also appeared in Men's Journal and Business Insider, and has been featured on major digital platforms including MSN, Yahoo, and AOL. Throughout her career, Rachel has interviewed actors, reality television personalities, athletes, and other public figures, covering everything from breaking entertainment news to exclusive interviews. Among the highlights of her career has been the opportunity to interview several cast members from her favorite series, Outlander. Glen Powell has become one of Hollywood's most recognizable leading men, with roles in everything from blockbuster action movies to romantic comedies. But one of his most acclaimed performances came in a smaller crime thriller that blended a real-life story with a surprisingly playful take on the hitman genre. Now, the R-rated movie is entering an unexpected new chapter on streaming. Hit Man, Richard Linklater's 2024 crime comedy, stars Powell as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered professor who moonlights as a fake hitman for the New Orleans Police Department. The movie first debuted on Netflix in June 2024. Hit Man has made its debut on Starz's global charts, marking a new streaming development for a movie that originally found its audience through Netflix. The movie's arrival on another platform is giving it new life (and an expanded audience) more than two years after its initial release. Powell's Hit Man Is Charming Its Way Onto Starz's Global Charts Powell stars opposite Adria Arjona, who plays Madison, a woman who hires what she believes is a professional killer. Gary's work normally involves pretending to be a hitman to catch people attempting to hire one, but his connection with Madison complicates the operation and draws him into a dangerous web of deception. The movie earned strong reviews for its unusual premise, Powell's performance, and the chemistry between its two leads. It currently holds a 95% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Powell's highest-rated movie in a leading role. Top Gun: Maverick remains the highest-rated movie on his Rotten Tomatoes ranking overall, with a 96% score. ScreenRant has previously ranked Powell's projects, putting Hit Man at No. 3 overall, praising the actor's ability to morph into a range of different characters throughout the movie, adding to the overall creative freedom of the project. On the ranking, only Set it Up and Top Gun: Maverick land above Hit Man. The Chart Debut Marks A Surprising Twist For The Film The move to Starz is particularly interesting because Hit Man initially reached a wide audience as a Netflix release. Netflix acquired distribution rights to the movie in several major territories before its 2024 debut, and the streamer promoted it as an original movie. It first played in select theaters before arriving on Netflix on June 7, 2024. The movie's success also helped introduce more viewers to the creative partnership between Powell and Linklater. The pair co-wrote the screenplay, which was inspired by a Texas Monthly article about a real-life man who helped police operations by posing as a contract killer. The resulting movie mixes crime, romance, comedy, and questions about identity. There is even more room for the story to grow beyond the movie itself, with a potential remake of Hit Man as a Netflix TV series. For now, its appearance on Starz's global charts marks a new stage for a movie that has already earned strong critical recognition. With Powell continuing to build his career as a leading man, Hit Man remains one of the clearest examples of his ability to carry a project that combines a high-concept thriller with a character-driven story. Release Date May 24, 2024 Runtime 116 minutes Director Richard Linklater Writers Richard Linklater, Glen Powell Producers 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