It is no secret that Glen Powell is a scholar of the Tom Cruise faculty of film stardom. The 37-year-old’s profession has been on a exceptional upward trajectory after he popped in a key supporting position in Prime Gun: Maverick – which, given the same influence it had for co-stars Miles Teller, Lewis Pullman, and Monica Barbaro, sits alongside As soon as Upon a Time… in Hollywood as a key launchpad for at this time’s rising stars. However of them, Powell particularly has been open about his efforts to be taught from Cruise, who has grow to be a mentor.
Since Maverick, he is been explicit about his initiatives. His 2023 rom-com Anybody However You paired him with Sydney Sweeney to nice success, financially if not critically, to the purpose that the 2 have a Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan streak within the style ready for them if they need it. In 2024, Twisters put him front-and-center in a big-screen thrill journey, whereas Hit Man, which Powell co-wrote with director Richard Linklater, confirmed off the total extent of his main man allure.
His selections communicate to his want to be an old-school film star, the type that the trade supposedly cannot mint anymore. He is aiming to grow to be somebody audiences belief to ship a superb time, and if he succeeds, no matter film Glen Powell will likely be a “Glen Powell film.” Thus far, he is been working to develop our sense for what a Glen Powell film must be.
The Operating Man, his newest movie, stretches him into some vital new territory. And it is the closest he is come to testing himself at Cruise’s stage since starring alongside him.
The Operating Man Might Be A Turning Level In Glen Powell’s Profession
One of the vital fascinating issues about true film stars is their on-screen specificity. They convey an power to a movie that’s uniquely theirs, they usually carry it with them whatever the position. As such, they are not fairly as free to do something as their character actor counterparts. Movies both use their power nicely or they do not; if stars check out a brand new style or tone, audiences can both embrace it or reject it.
Powell’s star picture is distinct from Cruise’s, and following his recommendation hasn’t meant attempting to fit himself in as Cruise’s successor. However he does wish to be the sort of actor who can headline a splashy motion blockbuster, even with out the advantage of franchise IP, and persuade audiences it is value their time.
If Twisters helped set up his footing, The Operating Man is his first time testing this out. This dystopian motion thriller is being offered as an explosion-filled thrill journey, in IMAX, fueled by Powell’s character. Parts of the trailer are even his character talking on to digicam. It additionally, notably, options loads of him doing stunts and sprinting at full velocity. (Come to consider it, The Operating Man could be an awesome title for Cruise’s biography.)
It could be an Edgar Wright movie, and it could be a Stephen King adaptation, however the message being despatched to potential viewers is, Come comply with Glen Powell on this dystopian motion journey. Critiques stay embargoed, however first social media reactions to The Operating Man have been constructive. If the execution is there, the remainder is being placed on the shoulders of its main man.
Even when he is been constructing to it, this can be a huge gamble. If The Operating Man is a success, Powell will inevitably get the credit score, and he’ll have taken an enormous step ahead by way of the initiatives he can get greenlit. If it fails, he, his group, and the trade at giant will undoubtedly be questioning whether or not he’s the Tom Cruise sort of film star, and he’ll should show himself once more.