Glen Powell Reveals Why He Isn’t Interested in the MCU or the DCU

by

Glen Powell is seriously becoming a household name, and honestly, in today’s Hollywood, that usually means a quick jump to a Marvel or DC superhero movie. But Powell’s been surprisingly resistant to that path. From what he’s been saying lately, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be suiting up as a superhero anytime soon, and I, for one, am really respecting that choice.

Actor Stephen Powell is currently promoting his new film, The Running Man, based on the Stephen King story. In the movie, he plays a contestant on a deadly reality TV show where he has to fight for his life while being watched by a massive television audience. During an interview with Collider, he was asked if he’d be interested in joining a superhero movie franchise, and his response was unexpected.

What I’ve always enjoyed about superhero stories is that they capture the excitement of creation and growth – that feeling of building something new. Personally, once a character gains superpowers, I find it harder to relate to them emotionally. It’s like they become different, and I lose that connection.

Beyond not feeling a personal connection to those types of stories, Powell thinks his new Hulu comedy, Chad Powers, already explores similar themes. The show centers around a former football star trying to make a comeback, and he has to go undercover to get another chance. Powell sees Chad Powers as following the familiar patterns of a superhero story.

My collaborator, Michael Waldron, and I developed the character of Chad Powers as a superhero archetype. It’s a bit like the dynamic between Batman and Bruce Wayne – a public, powerful persona alongside a hidden, more private self. I’m really drawn to that duality in superhero stories and the concept of secret identities, though I wasn’t specifically inspired by any single hero when creating Chad.

Glen Powell Doesn’t Need to Join the MCU, DCU, or Any Other “U”


Paramount Pictures

Even though fans would be thrilled to see John Powell score a superhero film, he doesn’t necessarily need to. He recently shared that he’s more drawn to stories like The Running Man, explaining that he particularly enjoys portraying characters who are the underdog.

I’m really enjoying this. What I love most about ‘Running Man’ is the idea of a regular person facing impossible challenges. Those kinds of underdog stories are what initially drew me to filmmaking. And I’m a big fan of the work Marvel and DC are both doing – I think it’s all fantastic.

I’m really inspired by movies from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s that pit ordinary people against powerful forces – those classic underdog stories. They make you feel like you could be the hero, that with enough effort, you could overcome any challenge. That’s what appeals to me. I don’t get the same feeling from superhero movies; they don’t feel as relatable as seeing someone just like me triumph over the odds.

Read More

2025-10-31 17:07