Glen Powell: ‘I’m Not Chasing a Superhero Role In Particular’
Hit Man. (L to R) Adria Arjona as Madison Masters and Glen Powell as Gary Johnson. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix
In a new interview with Collider to promote the upcoming film The Running Man, Chad Powers star Glen Powell has revealed that although he loves “the idea of secret identities,” he “can’t say that there’s one superhero in particular I’m chasing”. Before adding that he prefers the emotional connection of the roles he plays because “I don’t feel, as a person, like a superhero”.
Powell has recently been seen on our screens portraying the lead on Chad Powers, a Disney+/Hulu show, which tells the story of Russ Holliday, a former college quarterback who attempts a career comeback whilst in disguise as the titular character. His performance in the role has received a lot of praise, with lots of talk about whether there is going to be a second season floating around the internet. He told Collider that the plan for him and creator Michael Waldron (writer for the likes of Loki, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness) was to make Powers an everyday superhero.
“Michael Waldron and I created Chad Powers, and we always conceptualised that as a superhero story. There’s very much a Batman/Bruce Wayne thing going on there. There’s the super version of you, and then there’s sort of the version that you can kind of hide from the world. So, I love the duality of superhero stories. I love the idea of secret identities. I love all that, but I can’t say that there’s one superhero in particular I’m chasing.”
Later in the interview, he went on to promote The Running Man, which features him in the titular role. The film follows Ben Richards (Powell), who signs up to be on a top-rated reality show where ‘Runners‘ must survive 30 days being tracked by professional assassins to win money. It also stars the likes of Emilia Jones, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, and Lee Pace. It is the second adaptation of the 1982 novel by Stephen King, after the 1987 version, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. For Glen Powell, the appeal of the role came from the opportunity to include everything he loves about superhero movies, whilst leaving out the other parts.
“I’m having fun. Look, the thing about Running Man that, really, I love, I think more than anything, is that it’s an ordinary guy against extraordinary odds. You know? I think those underdog stories are the movies that got me into this business. I love what Marvel is doing. I love what DC is doing. I think what they’re doing is great. But the stories that at least get me inspired, the stories that I’ve always wanted to be a part of, are these movies that you saw in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, early 2000s, where it’s like these are truly Man Against the System movies, these David and Goliath stories where no one’s super. For me, it’s a different feeling of leaving the theatre and being like, ‘Oh, that could be me.’ If you just summon enough strength, if you just summon enough energy, ‘That could be me.’ So, I think that’s the difference. I just don’t feel that superhero stories really apply to me the same way that an underdog story does.”
The Running Man releases in cinemas on November 14th.
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