Summary
There are several great movies to watch after Richard Linklater’sHit Man. The new Glen Powell film features theTop Gun: Maverickbreakout star in his most versatile role yet, playing a loner college professor who moonlights as an assassin for his local police department. Already being considered one of thebest movies of Richard Linklater’sextensive career as a director and screenwriter,Hit Manblends several genres to create a well-balancedmix of screwball/romantic comedy, action-inspired thriller, and classic film noir. Since releasing on Netflix on August 02, 2025, the film has become one of the most popular titles on the streaming platform.
Hit Manalso became Powell’s highest rated movieof his acting career after earning a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, slightly getting the edge over the massively successful box office hit Top Gun: Maverick, which earned a score of 96%.Hit Man’scastis also led by Adria Arjona who plays Madison, the unexpected love interest of Powell’s Gary Johnson. Madison believes that Gary is actually Ron, a stylish, confident, and very dangerous trained assassin.Hit Manis full of interesting twists and cleverly toys with the concept of identitythrough Powell’s dual portrayals of Ron and Gary, but still effectively carries some familiar tropes of beloved action comedies.
Hit Man Is Exactly What We Need While Waiting For This Upcoming Movie That Won’t Release Until The 2040s
Hit Man is a great indication for Linklater’s future in the modern comedy genre as he continues to film an ambitious decade-spanning musical.
The Killer
Cast
Based on the graphic novel by Alexis Nolent, The Killer is a Netflix film directed by David Fincher. Michael Fassbender stars as the titular character. This hitman experiences a near-miss on a mission and now must wrestle with his conscience and his employers as he begins to fight against his ways as an assassin.
While Linklater’sHit Manends up being a story that deconstructs standard hitman/assassin movies, David Fincher’s The Killer is a full-bodied and sleek film about a professional assassin who botches the first job in his career. If viewers were expecting a true action-packed suspense story out of Hit Man, they will appreciate the tone and direction ofThe Killer, which features a cold-blooded Michael Fassbender as its protagonist. LikeHit Man,The Killeris rooted in the real world, although it is not based on a true story.The Killerintegrates common services and everyday items into the framework of the assassin’s methodology, such as renting out a WeWork space for a target at long range, which makes it feel more unsettling and modern than other hitman movies before it.
8 Reasons The Killer Needs To Become David Fincher’s First Real Movie Franchise
The Killer has the potential to become Netflix’s next great action franchise under Fincher, who has previously set up many of the platform’s hits.
Anyone But You
Anyone But You is a romantic comedy by director Will Gluck starring Sydney Sweeny and Glen Powell. Sweeny and Powell star as Bea and Ben, two strangers with an incredible first date that goes sour following one incident at the tail end. Thinking the worst is behind them, the two are roped into a destination wedding in Sydney, Australia, where they’ll have to pretend to be a couple despite absolutely hating each other.
Anyone But Youis more or less a traditional run-of-the-mill romantic comedy that was heightened by the timeliness of its lead casting choices. As two of Hollywood’s most entertaining and in-demand rising stars,Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney made for a perfect onscreen combinationthat elevatedAnyone But Youto becoming a must-see movie. The film was recently released on Netflix after having a surprise run at the box office in early 2024 and makes for a great precursor before watching Hit Man, since both films are at their cores romantic comedies. Powell proves with Hit Man that he can light up the chemistry with more than one co-star, hinting that he will likely continue to star in a number of romantic comedies in the future and could even team up with Sweeney again for a sequel.
Anyone But You’s Bea & Ben’s Relationship Is Made Better By 1 Clever Visual Trick
Anyone But You used a couple of subtle but clever visual tricks that made Bea and Ben’s relationship better, contributing to the movie’s success.
Lucky Number Slevin
Lucky Number Slevin is a thriller directed by Paul McGuigan, featuring Josh Hartnett as Slevin, who finds himself mistaken for someone else and caught between two rival crime lords, played by Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley. With Bruce Willis as an enigmatic hitman and Lucy Liu as Slevin’s love interest, the movie weaves a complex narrative of mistaken identity and underworld rivalry.
As far as modern hitman comedy thrillers go,Lucky Number Slevinis a great watch with an unbelievable cast. Led by Josh Hartnett, who has recently made a big Hollywood comeback after starring in Black Mirror,Oppenheimer, and the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan filmTrap,Lucky Number Slevinfeatures performances by Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, and Stanley Tucci. While the film definitely leans more into the realm of a sleek and dramatic thriller, the dialogue is snappy and full of punches that keep audiences laughing while also keeping them on the edges of their seat.Lucky Number Slevinis required viewing for fans of Hartnett,who plays a person who is mistaken for someone else that owes a lot of money to powerful people in New York City.
What Happened To Josh Hartnett? Why He Disappeared & Had A Big Return In 2023
Josh Hartnett returns in 2023 after once turning down the role of Christopher Nolan’s Batman, ending an unofficial 14 year hiatus from Hollywood.
In Bruges
Directed by Martin McDonagh, In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as Ray and Ken, two Irish hitmen sent to Belgium to carry out an assignment for their boss Harry, played by Ralph Fiennes. When a previous botched mission leads Harry to give Ken unexpected orders regarding Ray, the two find themselves at odds with each other and must decide how to proceed.
In Brugesis one of the best hitman comedies ever made and arguably one of the greatest dark comedies of the 21st century.Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are an iconic pair as two assassins who flee to Bruges, Belgiumafter a job goes wrong. The film is written and directed by Martin McDonagh, who also wrote and directed the celebrated 2022 filmThe Banshees of Inisherin, which also paired Farrell and Gleeson together along with Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan. In terms of overall laugh potential,In Brugesis right on par withHit Man, although it does not have the romantic element that acts as the backbone for the latest Linklater movie. Still, the sheer comedic value ofIn Brugesis timeless and a great follow-up toHit Man.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a romantic comedy action film that follows a married couple who discover that they’re both assassins after years of maintaining a false relationship for cover when John and Jane discover on a hit job that they both have the same target, the failed mission results in the discovery that they’re both assigned to different agencies. Now tasked with eliminating one another, the two engage in a darkly comedic battle where they soon begin to fall in love - for real, this time.
Mr. & Mrs. Smithis a modern classic action movie that goes down in history as the film that brought Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie together, both onscreen and in real life. In many ways,Mr. & Mrs. Smithexists in a very similar vein as bothAnyone But YouandHit Man, since it also stands as a landmark moment not just in cinematic history but also in pop culture.Mr. & Mrs. Smithwas one of the most profitable movies of 2005 and had a similar sense of relevancy that inspired Anyone But You to become a box office hit. The chemistry and rivalry between Jolie and Pitt are the bread and butter of the movie, and fans who were looking for more action, stunts, and set pieces in Hit Man will get their fill from watchingMr. & Mrs. Smith.
The 2024 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Amazon series also offers an updated take on fictional assassins.
Set It Up
Set It Up is a romantic comedy directed by Claire Scanlon, featuring Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell as two overworked assistants in New York City. To gain some free time, they scheme to set up their demanding bosses, played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, with each other. As their plan unfolds, unexpected romantic entanglements ensue, leading to comedic and heartfelt moments. The film explores themes of love, ambition, and the grind of modern work life.
For fans who simply can’t get enough of Glen Powell, his 2018 romantic comedySet It Upis a great watch afterHit Man. Set It Up pairs Powell with Zoey Deutch and Charlie and Harper, two corporate executive assistants who try to make their own lives easier by setting up a romantic interest between their two bosses. The film features Powell in one of his first leading roles in a rom-com after he had already appeared in several of Richard Linklater’s films such asEverybody Wants Some!!(2016) andFast Food Nation(2006).Set It Upbegan to establish Powell’s momentum in the romantic comedy genreand why it may not be as funny asHit Manor and culturally relevant asAnyone But You, it’s still interesting to watch Powell before his skyrocketing to fame fromTop Gun: Maverick.
Before Sunrise
Two strangers, Jesse and Céline, meet on a train and decide to spend an evening together exploring Vienna. As they wander the city, they share deep conversations, form a profound connection, and experience a fleeting, yet meaningful romance, knowing their time together will end at sunrise.
TheBeforetrilogy is some of Linklater’s most prolific work as a screenwriter and a director,starting with the instant classicBefore Sunrisein 1995. As just Linklater’s fourth directorial effort,Before Sunrisechronicles a spontaneous encounter between a man (Ethan Hawke) and a woman (Julie Delpy) on a train who decide to abandon their plans and continue talking by getting off together in Vienna. The entire movie chronicles their only evening together and is full of interesting dialogue and great conversations that touch on everything from introspective observations to existential dilemmas. Linklater shines as an auteur withBefore Sunriseand would complete the trilogy with the same actors withBefore Sunset(2004) andBefore Midnight(2013).
Vertigo
Vertigo: Released in 1958, Vertigo is a psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film follows a retired San Francisco detective with acrophobia, played by James Stewart, as he investigates the peculiar behavior of an old friend’s wife, portrayed by Kim Novak, leading to a complex obsession.
Hit Mandrew influence from classic noirs such asDial M For MurderandDouble Indemnity, but it may share the most narrative similarities with a Hitchcock classic from 1958,Vertigo. Often considered one the greatest films ever made,Vertgiofeatures similar themes toHit Manof false identity, murder, and a powerful romance. Vertigo is also full of complex and sophisticated twists and turns, much like Hit Man, and is created by a master of cinema. While it doesn’t check all the boxes for a romantic comedy, the love story is highly suspenseful and rooted in deciet, which is exactly what Hit Man ends up being about.Vertigois outstanding viewing for lovers of films in general and would make for an interesting comparison between it andHit Manin the context of twisted cinematic love stories.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo Ending, Explained
Vertigo continues to inspire other movies to this day, offering an ending with various plot twists and a tragic conclusion to a puzzling love story.
2024
The Fall Guy
The Fall Guy is an action thriller from Bullet Train and Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Ryan Gosling stars as a stuntman who is forced to find a missing movie star, investigate a conspiracy, and repair his relationship with the love of his life. The film was written by Drew Pearce and inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name.
The Fall Guyis an outstanding 2024 comedy that is also rooted in the strong chemistry between its leads, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. AlthoughThe Fall Guyreceived great reviews, its box office appeared to take a hit from the modern trend of people waiting for the film to hit streaming services. Still, this movie is the perfect follow up toHit Manfor viewers who are looking for a relevant and topical romantic comedy that also spoofs the action genre.The Fall Guydoesn’t go quite as deep into philosophy and character study asHit Mandoes, but it is loaded with action sequences and impressive stunt work that likely had something to do with the newly announced Best Stunts category at the Academy Awards.
Ryan Gosling’s New Action Movie Officially Calls Out The Oscars For Missing Stunt Category
The Fall Guy is a love letter & a call for Oscar representation of stuntwork, which is arguably the most overlooked aspect of Hollywood productions.
21 Jump Street
An adaptation of the TV series of the same name, 21 Jump Street stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as two police officers (and best friends) who are sent into a high school undercover in order to bust a drug ring. Learning that high school has changed considerably since they were teenagers, the pair are forced to adapt in order to maintain their cover, threatening their friendship in the process.
21 Jump Streetremains one of the funniest modern comedies through the dynamic chemistry of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Although the film centers on undercover cops as opposed to undercover hitmen, the film employs similar types of humor in which the main characters have to take on false personas in order to gain the trust of the people they are looking to bust. Both21 Jump Streetand22 Jump Streetare equally hilarious which could inspire a potentialHit Mansequel if Linklater and Powell choose to go down that route. The ending ofHit Manshows Gary and Madison as a family with children, but Gary could always get pulled back into the job, and Madison just may join him in a potential sequel.
