Hit Man: Richard Linklater’s TIFF smash acquired by Netflix for $20 million

Having just returned from TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), I can say that without a doubt, one of the most liked movies at the fest this year was Richard Linklater’s Hit Man. You can read my review here, but the movie features a terrific breakout performance by star Glen Powell, who plays a mild-mannered professor who moonlights as an undercover agent for the police, where he poses as a fictional hitman. Things get complicated when he falls in love with one of the people he’s supposed to set up – as played by an impossibly sexy Adria Arjona.

Given how popular the movie was, it’s no surprise that Netflix has snapped it up in their second significant acquisition of the festival. Last week, they bought Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour for $11 million, and Hit Man carries a steep $20 million price tag. A theatrical component has been worked in for the movie, and I would expect the streamer to release the film this year, as Powell’s performance has some serious Oscar buzz attached to it. Many also believe the movie is a shoo-in for best screenplay, with Powell having a co-writing credit with Linklater.

Glen Powell’s certainly been on a roll these last few years, with him first getting noticed in another Richard Linklater film, Everybody Wants Some. Last year, he had a breakout role in Top Gun: Maverick, and Hit Man could very well be the movie that makes him a movie star in his own right. Powell’s already had a lot of success on Netflix with his rom-com Set It Up, an early original hit for the streaming service.

Are you looking forward to seeing Richard Linklater’s Hit Man? Do you think Glen Powell’s the real deal? Let us know in the comments!