Richard Linklater’s Killer New Netflix Comedy

Richard Linklater and Glen Powell’s creative relationship actually goes back more than 15 years. Powell had a role in Linklater’s 2006 movie Fast Food Nation, although it was really his performance in Linklater’s awesome 2016 baseball comedy Everybody Wants Some!! that served as the actor’s breakthrough role. Powell also appeared in Linklater’s last project, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood, and now he not only stars in his next movie, he co-wrote the film as well.

It’s titled Hit Man, and it’s a comedy with Powell in the central role — apparently based on a true story — about a college professor who masqueraded as an assassin for hire. The movie premiered on the festival circuit in 2023 and got rave reviews everywhere it played. Netflix scooped it up for distribution and is now planning to release it on streaming this summer — here is the first teaser for the film:

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Here is the film’s official synopsis:

Inspired by an unbelievable true story, a strait-laced professor discovers his hidden talent as a fake hit man. He meets his match in a client who steals his heart and ignites a powder keg of deception, delight, and mixed-up identities.

Linklater had this to say about the film and about working with Powell on Hit Man as both writer and star:

[Glen] is a great collaborator. It’s kind of like a sports team. If the best guy on the team is also the hardest-working, you might win. That’s what Glen is. He wants everybody on the team to be great.

Hit Man will premiere on Netflix on June 7. The press release says it will have “a limited theatrical release prior” to that date.

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