Warner Bros. May Give a 1954 Horror Classic a ‘Hit Man’ Glow-Up With Glen Powell

Published 04/19/2026, 10:36 AM EDT

Glen Powell has often been associated with action films and romantic comedies, but his connection to horror runs deeper than many realize. He brought sharp comedic menace to Scream Queens, where Chad Radwell became an instant standout. Beyond acting, he has expanded into horror production with an A24-led The Texas Chain Saw Massacre reimagining and the creature feature The Death Roll, both signaling a serious investment in the genre’s darker corners.

At the moment, he may be attached to a remake of a classic horror film if development moves forward as planned.

Glen Powell might be the star of a horror classic's remake

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According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, also known as DanielRPK, Warner Bros and the creative team behind 1954 sci-fi horror classic, Them!, are reportedly considering Glen Powell for the film’s lead role. This signals early-stage interest rather than any formal casting decision or negotiation. Powell’s name is being discussed as the studio evaluates how to position the remake. 

The remake of Them! is being shaped as a high-profile project, with Matt Reeves attached as producer. Reeves, known for The Batman and Cloverfield, brings a strong track record in atmospheric genre storytelling. The project has been in development for some time as the creative team gradually builds its direction.

Michael Giacchino, the Oscar-winning composer of Up, is set to direct the film, marking another major step in his expanding filmmaking career. After his directorial debut with Werewolf by Night, Giacchino has been actively developing large-scale genre projects. Reports suggest he has been meeting with writers to refine the screenplay and push the film closer to production readiness.

Giacchino is also expected to compose the score for Them!, continuing his dual role as filmmaker and musician. His experience across major franchises such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, Star Trek, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story positions him to balance spectacle with atmosphere. If Powell joins, the film may be shaped as a major studio production.

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Whether Glen Powell ultimately joins the remake or not, the buzz alone has already revived talk of Them!’s legacy in an era where even Tom and Jerry is staging comebacks and nothing seems permanently retired.

Revisiting Them!’s legacy

Them! established itself as the foundation of the 'big bug' subgenre by treating giant creatures with unusual seriousness for its time. Instead of revealing its mutated ants immediately, the film delays their appearance and builds tension through military briefings, desert investigations, and fragmented eyewitness accounts. This structured, procedural storytelling gave the horror a documentary-like weight that set it apart from its contemporaries.

Its deeper legacy is tied to how directly it reflected Atomic Age fears, using radiation from early nuclear testing in New Mexico as the scientific trigger for mutation. The ants functioned as a clear metaphor for invisible fallout, Cold War instability, and human scientific overreach. Its influence can be traced into later works like Aliens and Fallout 3.

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Technically, the film also became a benchmark for practical creature effects and experimental sound design, with its ant screeches created by blending bird and amphibian sounds to produce a distinctive audio signature. This lasting impact continues to shape modern genre storytelling, and the ongoing remake discussions have brought it back into focus once again.

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Do you think Glen Powell would be a good pick for Them!'s remake? Let us know in the comments!

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Iffat Siddiqui

927 articles

Iffat is an Entertainment Journalist at Netflix Junkie. A word wizard, she had the sorting hat smoke at the seams owing to her excellence in everything Hollywood and cinema until it finally declared that she belonged to the Royals, specifically Meghan Markle. Boasting over 300 articles (and counting), each one tastefully infused with the right mix of facts, wit, opinion, and essentially everything to make a perfect pop culture piece, she is the epitome of a trustworthy entertainment journalist.

Edited By: Hriddhi Maitra

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