‘Hit Man’ series in development at Netflix but Glen Powell may not return in the way fans expect
Netflix may have found its next movie-to-series success story. After turning several of its film properties into television projects, the streaming giant is now setting its sights on ‘Hit Man’, the 2024 crime comedy led by Glen Powell. According to a report from Deadline, a television adaptation inspired by the hit movie is currently in development, with several key figures from the original production already attached behind the scenes. The planned project is still in its early stages, but Netflix appears eager to build on the popularity of the film. While plot details remain tightly guarded, the series is expected to borrow from the movie’s central idea. The publication's sources revealed that ‘You’re the Worst’ creator Stephen Falk has been tapped to write the potential series.
Falk is also among the executive producers joining a group that includes Powell and filmmaker Richard Linklater, the creative duo behind the original feature. Powell played the lead role in ‘Hit Man’ and also helped write the screenplay alongside Linklater. The actor’s production company, BarnStorm Productions, is involved in the television adaptation as well. AGC Television, a division of the company that backed the movie, is producing the project alongside BarnStorm. Several other producers from both companies are attached to the series. Falk, Linklater, Powell, and BarnStorm’s Dan Cohen will executive produce alongside AGC executives Stuart Ford, Miguel A. Palos Jr., and Lourdes Diaz. Steve Barnett, Alan Powell, Vicky Patel, Shivani Rawat, and Julie Goldstein are also part of the production team as co-executive producers.
For now, Netflix is keeping story specifics under lock and key. Still, the source material offers a pretty clear idea of the direction the show could take. The film centered on a mild-mannered college professor who worked with law enforcement. He posed as a fake assassin to catch people attempting to hire a killer. His unusual assignment required him to transform himself repeatedly, adopting different personalities and mannerisms depending on the target. That shape-shifting concept could lend itself well to a serialized format. A television version would have room to introduce fresh cases, new disguises, and different undercover identities each episode while still maintaining an ongoing storyline. In many ways, the setup naturally fits television.
Meanwhile, Netflix has increasingly looked to extend the lifespan of successful film properties by transforming them into television franchises. The strategy has already delivered positive results for the company. One notable example is ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’. What began as a film series eventually expanded into the spinoff show ‘XO, Kitty’, which recently returned with its third season. Netflix is also expanding the ‘Extraction’ franchise, with a TV spinoff currently in development based on the action series. Now, ‘Hit Man’ appears poised to join that growing list.
