Credit: Ross Ferguson/Paramount Pictures
Glen Powell is constantly in casting rumors for numerous superhero movies. Despite what the fans want, Powell is not chasing roles in Marvel or DCU.
Why is Glen Powell not doing any superhero movies?
Powell spoke to Collider about his appreciation for superheroes and their importance in society. The 37-year-old prefers the humanity of superheroes over their special powers.
“Look, the thing about superhero stories that I’ve always loved is it’s like the early days of something, building something,” Powell said. “I don’t feel, as a person, like a superhero. Once someone becomes super, I sort of kind of tend to no longer feel, I don’t know, the same emotional connection.”
Powell’s most recent project is Chad Powers, a Hulu comedy about a disgraced college athlete who disguises himself to play quarterback at another school and earn his redemption. Powell surprisingly compared Chad to the Caped Crusader, who watches over Gotham City.
“Michael Waldron and I created Chad Powers, and we always conceptualized that as a superhero story. There’s very much a Batman/Bruce Wayne thing going on there,” Powell explained. “There’s the super version of you, and then there’s sort of the version that you can kind of hide from the world. So, I love the duality of superhero stories. I love the idea of secret identities. I love all that, but I can’t say that there’s one superhero in particular I’m chasing.”
Powell said he loves what “Marvel and DC” are doing. However, Powell gravitates toward underdog characters, like Ben Richards in The Running Man. He compares it to the “David and Goliath” action movies from the ’80s and ’90s that portray a battle between man and the system. Powell prefers to chase these roles over superhero characters.
“For me, it’s a different feeling of leaving the theater and being like, ‘Oh, that could be me.’ If you just summon enough strength, if you just summon enough energy, ‘That could be me,’” Powell added. “So, I think that’s the difference. I just don’t feel that superhero stories really apply to me the same way that an underdog story does.”
The Running Man opens in theaters on November 14, 2025.
