Glen Powell's New Thriller Disappointment Officially Rebounds As HBO Max's #1 Movie In Just One Day

4 days ago 18

Published Jun 20, 2026, 8:56 PM EDT

Fariba Rezwan is a Lead Editor for the Movie News team. She has been with ScreenRant for nearly five years, with roles ranging from list editor to junior news editor.

During that time, Fariba has led coverage for breaking movies and TV news, including Hunger Games, Marvel, and streaming. Additionally, she has actively provided commentary and reactions to the biggest movies and shows on her YouTube channel, The Movieception Show.

Glen Powell seeks redemption with his new thriller movie on HBO Max.

The Top Gun: Maverick star has perhaps one of the most stunning careers. Despite acting for more than two decades, Powell mostly had small or minor roles in movies like Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over and The Dark Knight Rises. However, his career took a major turn in the 2020s when he appeared in blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters, and Anyone But You, which made him a sought-after leading actor in Hollywood. Powell continues to claim more leading roles, including his 2026 thriller How to Make a Killing.

After just one day on HBO Max, How to Make a Killing already tops the streamer's top 10 movie charts at #1. Powell's black comedy thriller overtakes They Will Kill You, another movie that found its footing on streaming last week. Other films that charted include Contagion, Ready Player One, A History of Violence, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Men.

Glen Powell wearing a disguise in How to Make a Killing

The A24 thriller follows Powell's Becket Redfellow, a disowned family member who goes to extreme lengths to reclaim his inheritance against his relatives. Despite a $15 million budget, How to Make a Killing made just $21 million at the box office. Despite its commercial disappointment, the thriller movie has rebounded in a big way on streaming.

Unfortunately, How to Make a Killing reviews were mixed to negative, with issues ranging from a messy genre shift, forced comedy in a thriller, and unbalanced subplots. However, Powell's charming performance was one of the redeeming parts. Despite a 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers were far more receptive to the A24 movie, earning a stronger 76% audience score.

Hence, it's possible that word of mouth and its "eat the rich" concept boosted interest when it landed on streaming, alongside Powell's own star power. Interestingly, How to Make a Killing is just the latest of his movies to bounce back on streaming, including the Stephen King remake The Running Man.

Despite a few release hiccups, Powell's career continues to thrive, including Chad Powers returning for season 2. After voicing Fox McCloud in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, his next live-action projects include The Great Beyond and The Comeback King.

How to Make a Killing is inspired by the 1949 movie Kind Hearts and Coronets, which itself was based on Roy Horniman's novel, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal. John Patton Ford wrote and directed the film, which is also his second feature after Emily the Criminal. Meanwhile, the remaining cast members are Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Ed Harris.

How to Make a Killing is now streaming on HBO Max.