How to Make a Killing(2026): Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know About the Dark New Glen Powell Thriller

If you thought Glen Powell’s breakout year was over, think again. The star of Hit Man, Top Gun: Maverick, and Anyone But You is returning to the big screen in a brand-new dark comedy thriller that blends sharp satire, stylish violence, and prestige filmmaking.

How to Make a Killing, written and directed by John Patton Ford, hits theaters February 20, 2026, and it’s already shaping up to be one of 2026’s most talked-about films.

Produced by the powerhouse studio behind Everything Everywhere All at Once, Uncut Gems, Midsommar, Moonlight, BEEF, and Euphoria, this film promises biting humor, wicked twists, and award-caliber performances from one of the year’s strongest casts.

If you love dark comedy, inheritance thrillers, or movies with morally questionable characters making deliciously bad decisions, this one belongs on your radar.

Here’s everything we know so far.

⭐ What Is How to Make a Killing About?

Described as a black comedy thriller with razor-sharp wit, How to Make a Killing follows:

Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell)

A blue-collar man disowned at birth by his filthy-rich, powerful, and utterly dysfunctional family. After spending his life on the outside looking in, Becket decides he’s done waiting for a seat at the table.

So, he makes his own plan.

A deadly one.

Determined to reclaim the inheritance he believes he deserves, Becket will stop at nothing — and no one — to climb back into the Redfellow dynasty, even if that means eliminating the line of relatives standing between him and the fortune.

Think: Knives Out energy meets American Psycho humor with a dash of classic British crime farce.

The screenplay is loosely inspired by the 1949 cult British film Kind Hearts and Coronets — a dark comedy about charming murder, social satire, and inheritance chaos.

⭐ Who Stars in How to Make a Killing? (A Closer Look at the Cast)

How to Make a Killing brings together one of the sharpest ensembles of early 2026 — a mix of rising stars, prestige veterans, and scene-stealing character actors who thrive in morally messy stories.

Main Cast & Characters

• Glen Powell as Becket Redfell

  A blue-collar outsider with a cold-blooded plan and a darkly charismatic streak. This is Powell at his most dangerous and entertaining.

  
  

• Margaret Qualley

  Known for Maid and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, brings unpredictable energy and emotional edge.

  
  

• Jessica Henwick

  A fan-favorite from Glass Onion and The Matrix Resurrections.

  
  

• Bill Camp

  The always-brilliant character actor (Dark Waters, The Night Of) who elevates every film he touches.

  
  

• Zach Woods

  His deadpan comedic timing is a perfect fit for a black comedy ensemble.

  
  

• Topher Grace

  A seasoned comedic actor with the ability to turn unsettling when needed.

  
  

• Ed Harris

  The legendary Oscar nominee brings gravitas, menace, and authority

  
  

• Raff Law

• Sean Cameron Michael

• Bianca Amato as Cassandra Redfellow

With Powell leading the charge and Ed Harris anchoring the darker corners of the story, the cast is a perfect blend of charisma, tension, and humor — ideal for a stylish murder-and-inheritance thriller.

⭐ Is How to Make a Killing Based on a

True Story?

Not literally — but its DNA is rooted in classic cinema.

Writer-director John Patton Ford draws inspiration from the 1949 British masterwork Kind Hearts and Coronets, a darkly witty film about a charming antihero calmly eliminating family members to secure his inheritance.

Ford doesn’t remake it — he reimagines the core idea with:

• modern class tension

• sharper satire

• elevated style

• a morally conflicted (and dangerously likable) protagonist

Think of it as a 2026 spiritual successor rather than a direct adaptation.

⭐ Who’s Behind the Film? (Director, Writers & Production Team)

Written & Directed by John Patton Ford

Ford received critical acclaim for Emily the Criminal, proving he has a talent for tense, smart, character-driven thrillers about ordinary people pushed into extraordinary circumstances.

Produced by

• Graham Broadbent

• Pete Czernin

Studios

• StudioCanal

• Blueprint Pictures

This is the same powerhouse ecosystem connected to:

• Everything Everywhere All At Once

• Uncut Gems

• Midsommar

• Moonlight

• BEEF

• Euphoria

Meaning: Expect bold storytelling, tonal edge, and awards-season ambition.

⭐ Release Date — When Does How to Make a Killing Come Out?

📅 February 20, 2026 — Exclusively in Theaters

A mid-February release is no accident. It positions the film perfectly:

• just close enough to awards chatter

• just early enough for strong box-office legs

• and far enough away from summer blockbusters to stand out

Studios don’t put dark-comedy thrillers here unless they’re confident.

⭐ Why How to Make a Killing Is Already Making Noise

Here’s what’s fueling the buzz:

✔ Glen Powell is entering his “dangerously charismatic lead” era

After a string of hits, he’s taking on a darker, riskier role — the kind critics love.

✔ John Patton Ford is becoming a filmmaker to watch

Emily the Criminal was quietly brilliant. This is his chance to go big.

✔ Prestige studios with a perfect track record

When the people behind Moonlight, Uncut Gems, and Midsommar back a film, the industry pays attention.

✔ A fresh twist on a timeless premise

Greed. Family. Murder. Satire. Audiences can’t resist a morally twisted inheritance thriller.

✔ Early awards potential

The February slot + the pedigree + the cast = very promising.

⭐ Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)

Disowned at birth.Dismissed by his powerful family.Ready to take it all back — one relative at a time.

Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell), once cast out from his obscenely wealthy dynasty, has lived his entire life as the family disgrace. But now? He’s done playing nice.

Driven by resentment, desperation, and a dark sense of justice, Becket sets out to reclaim the life he believes was stolen from him — even if that means removing every family member standing between him and the empire.

Every relative is a new obstacle. Every obstacle is a new opportunity. And every opportunity brings Becket closer to becoming something far more dangerous than the family ever imagined.

Expect a stylish, wickedly funny descent into:

• ambition

• class warfare

• manipulation

• and morally unhinged family chaos

This is dark comedy at its most delicious.

⭐ Frequently Asked Questions

Is How to Make a Killing a remake?

No. It’s loosely inspired by Kind Hearts and Coronets, but it’s a new modern story.

What genre is it?

A black comedy thriller — blending sharp humor, stylish suspense, and satirical violence.

Is Glen Powell the lead?

Yes, and many believe this will be one of his most daring roles yet.

Will it stream on Netflix or Prime?

No streaming announcements yet.

It will release exclusively in theaters first.

⭐ Final Thoughts — A Killer Way to Start 2026

With its pitch-black humor, bold performances, and a story soaked in ambition, murder, and family dysfunction, How to Make a Killing is shaping up to be one of the most exciting dark comedies of 2026.

If you love films like:

• The Menu

• Uncut Gems

• Knives Out

• Ready or Not

• American Psycho

Then add this one to your watchlist immediately.

February is about to get bloody fun.