Glen Powell Leads A24's Newly Titled "How to Make a Killing," In Theaters Feb. 20
Margaret Qualley and Ed Harris join John Patton Ford's thriller, inspired by "Kind Hearts and Coronets."
If you've been waiting to see Glen Powell (movies and tv series) back on a big screen, you won't be waiting long. A24 has set writer-director John Patton Ford (movies and tv series)'s "How to Make a Killing" for a Feb. 20 theatrical release.
The film follows Becket Redfellow (Powell), cast aside by his phenomenally wealthy family, who'll do whatever it takes to secure his inheritance. Think climb-the-ladder drama with knives out. It's inspired by the 1949 British classic "Kind Hearts and Coronets," which is worth a look if you're into darkly comic crime tales from the old school.
What's "Kind Hearts and Coronets" again? In short: cold-blooded ambition with a wicked grin. That DNA showing up in a modern A24 package is catnip for crime-and-thriller fans.
Margaret Qualley (movies and tv series) and Ed Harris (movies and tv series) co-star, with Jessica Henwick (movies and tv series), Zach Woods (movies and tv series), Topher Grace (movies and tv series), and Bill Camp (movies and tv series) rounding out the cast. StudioCanal financed and produced, signaling a serious push behind this one.
This project's taken a few turns to get here. Ford's script landed on the Black List back in 2014 under the title "Rothchild," and at one point Shia LaBeouf (movies and tv series) and Mel Gibson (movies and tv series) were set to star for director Jon S. Baird (movies and tv series). It later carried the working title "Huntington" before landing on "How to Make a Killing."
Powell's kept busy - and buzzy - after "Top Gun: Maverick," "Anyone but You," and "Twisters." He's also got J.J. Abrams (movies and tv series)' "Ghostwriter" on deck with Jenna Ortega (movies and tv series), Emma Mackey (movies and tv series), and Samuel L. Jackson (movies and tv series). Right now, he's on screens in Paramount's "The Running Man," which had a soft opening weekend.
He's bullish on this next one. "There's going to be a new title that we will probably be debuting here in the next few weeks," Powell said recently, talking about the name change from "Huntington." "But the movie is fantastic, and John Patton Ford is a great filmmaker. I can't wait for people to see it."
Here's what this could mean: A24 planting a flag on Feb. 20 suggests confident counterprogramming. The date's getting crowded with 20th Century Studios' "Psycho Killer" and Lionsgate's "I Can Only Imagine 2" also set for that day. Very different audiences, sure, but it makes for an interesting weekend split.
If you track crime and thriller releases, keep an eye on how the marketing leans into the source inspiration and Powell's post-"Maverick" momentum. Titles change. The pitch stays sharp: wealth, ambition, and a bloody climb up the family (movies and tv series) tree.
