Few movie genres get as little respect as romantic comedies. Yet the recently released Anything But You passed the $100 million mark, making it a bonafide box office hit. Now, Glen Powell (who starred in the film alongside Sydney Sweeney), says it’s high time we stopped “scoffing” at rom-coms, and I could not agree more.
Glen Powell and director Richard Linklater recently spoke with Variety during the Sundance Film Festival to discuss their film, Hit Man. The Top Gun: Maverick star, credited with revitalizing the romantic-comedy genre, proudly shared the success of his Sony-backed rom-com. The film, which was made on a $25 million budget, has surpassed expectations by earning $64 million domestically and crossing the $100 million mark globally. This achievement is particularly significant as the romantic-comedy genre was previously considered to be in decline. Powell shared his thoughts with the outlet:
At least for me, I’ve always been a fan of movies in general, and I always find it silly when certain actors diminish certain genres. At its best execution, it gives an audience such joy and such fun, and as an actor you do get to play a lot of gears. To kind of scoff at a genre and look down on it is kind of silly.
Amid the box office success of Wonka, Anyone But You has continued quietly raking in the dough since its release on December 22, 2023. Glen Powell thinks his film’s success could be hinting at the kinds of movies audiences are craving more of. He continued:
For me, Anyone But You was such a treat to see audiences dance out of the theater and feel so happy after watching a movie. To see the box office not just stick but grow has been such a cool lesson that sometimes the genres that have been forgotten are the ones audiences are craving the most.
The Devotion actor’s co-star, Sydney Sweeney, expressed delight over the movie’s continued success as well. She posted a story on Instagram showcasing the variety article, and she captioned the post:
Woke up to this. You guys are the best. I know I keep saying this, but I honestly can't thank you enough for your continuously sharing your love for this film. Romcoms are back, baby!!!
Glen Powell's Hit Man could be seen as a romantic comedy with a twist. The plot is based on a true story and follows a Houston police officer, played by Powell, who pretends to be a hitman to lure and arrest people attempting to hire him. However, his situation becomes complicated when he falls in love with a woman he tries to save from her predicament.
Andor's Adria Arjona co-stars with The Expendables 3 alum in the movie, and it seems that the flick has had a reasonably positive response since debuting at Sundance, with early reactions resulting in a positive rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It will be interesting to see if the pair will be as embraced as he and Sweeney have been when the movie lands on the 2024 movie schedule. Like so many others, I'll also be watching intently to see if the success of the recently released rom-com will launch the start of a renaissance of sorts for the genre.
If you want to catch the on-screen chemistry between Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You and help to continue making the movie a box-office success, it's still playing in theaters. Check your local listings for showtimes. Also, you'll want to have a Netflix subscription if you eventually want to check out Hit Man when it drops on June 7.
