How to Make a Killing trailer: Glen Powell plots his way to the Redfellow fortune

Glen Powell is back, and the first trailer for his new flick, How to Make a Killing, just dropped. Powell, who was last seen in The Running Man, is trading his usual charm for a darker, mischievous streak in this A24 thriller.

The trailer immediately sets the tone: Powell plays Beckett, a smart, resourceful member of the ridiculously wealthy Redfellow family, who’s stuck way down the inheritance line while his relatives live the high life. Naturally, he’s done waiting for handouts.

The How to Make a Killing trailer dives into Beckett’s backstory pretty quickly. His mom was disowned by the Redfellows, which meant Beckett grew up essentially on the outside, learning that the family fortune was his one day—but only if he was clever enough to claim it.

Cue the darkly comedic twist: after running into an old friend, he decides to eliminate the seven family members who stand between him and billions. From boating “accidents” to other increasingly inventive misdeeds, the trailer teases a string of murders that are as stylish as they are ruthless.

It’s clear from the How to Make a Killing trailer that Glen Powell’s natural charisma is front and center. He’s funny, likable, but also a little unhinged, which makes watching him outsmart and outmaneuver his eccentric relatives oddly satisfying.

Margaret Qualley pops up as his confidante, offering some playful commentary that nudges him further down his murderous path. The ensemble cast, including Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Ed Harris, adds to the chaotic, darkly comic energy.

Interestingly, How to Make a Killing is a modern spin on the 1949 British dark comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets, but Glen Powell isn’t going it alone like Alec Guinness did. Instead, he gets to take on a whole roster of famous faces, which the trailer makes clear is going to be messy, fun, and very, very clever.

Yet, How to Make a Killing marks his first time acting under A24, and the trailer shows he’s more than capable of matching their indie sensibility with his easy charm.

The film is directed by John Patton Ford, who impressed with Emily the Criminal, so expectations are high.

By the end of the How to Make a Killing trailer, one thing is obvious: Glen Powell has found the perfect vehicle to combine his charm with chaos, and the film’s February release can’t come soon enough.