Superhero movies are no longer the guaranteed critical and commercial darlings they were when Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga peaked. As a result, actors are becoming increasingly reluctant to don spandex on screen.
Glen Powell's star is rapidly on the rise, and he's perhaps one or two more hits away from cementing his status as one of Hollywood's most bankable lead stars.
Doing the rounds to promote Hulu's Chad Powers, Powell likened his character in the series to a superhero and confirmed that he's not currently circling any roles in the MCU or DCU.
"Michael Waldron and I created Chad Powers, and we always conceptualized that as a superhero story," the actor said. "There's very much a Batman/Bruce Wayne thing going on there. 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 continued. "Look, the thing about superhero stories that I've always loved is it's like the early days of something, building something."
"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 has explored multiple identities in projects like Hit Man and Chad Powers, and is once again transforming into an action hero for Edgar Wright's The Running Man.
While the actor remains a fan of what Marvel and DC are doing, it doesn't sound like either world is calling to him as he continues to establish himself as a leading man who doesn't need a cape or cowl. That will disappoint many of you, but his justification seemed sound.
"I'm having fun. Look, the thing about Running Man that, really, I love, I think more than anything, is it's an ordinary guy against extraordinary odds. You know? I think those underdog stories are the movies that got me into this business. I love what Marvel is doing. I love what DC is doing. I think what they're doing is great."
"But the stories that at least get me inspired, the stories that I've always wanted to be a part of, are these movies that you saw in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, early 2000s, where it's like these are truly Man Against the System movies, these David and Goliath stories where no one's super. 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.'"
"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."
There's always a chance that Powell is playing deliberately coy, and we wouldn't be that shocked to see him show up in Avengers: Doomsday as Ghost Rider or even be announced as the DCU's Batman. Don't get too excited about either possibility, though, because if we take him at his word, it's clear that playing a superhero isn't a priority.
Do you think Powell is making a mistake by not joining a superhero franchise?