Glen Powell was previously rumored to be attached to a remake of Ron Howard’s Backdraft, but recent news has confirmed that the actor is now set to star in a new, original firefighter film that sounds even better. While a Backdraft remake may still be in the cards eventually, a reimagining of the 1991 thriller may not be the best path forward at this time. While the Kurt Russell-starring film was a hit, grossing $152.4 million against a budget of $40 million, the rumored remake hasn’t yet made any significant progress.

Powell has been everywhere lately, and with good reason. The actor has charisma to spare and leading-man good looks. This has led to many planned collaborations for Powell with virtually everyone in Hollywood, including Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins on his next film, The Natural Order. Shortly after this, another project uniting Powell with Judd Apatow on a new comedy was also announced. Still, among all these exciting projects, the actor’s new firefighter movie sounds like it could wind up being the best of all.

Glen Powell Is Making A New Firefighter Movie With Ron Howard After Rumors Of Remaking Backdraft

The Announcement Follows Several Denials Of Involvement From Powell

Rather than a remake of Backdraft, Powell is now set to star in a new firefighter movie from Ron Howard. The project is based on an original pitch by Christina Hodson, writer of Bumblebee and The Flash. Few details are known about the movie, although producers including Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, and Dan Cohen are attached. The fact that some of these names have also been floated around the rumored Backdraft remake suggests that perhaps this new film evolved out of those same discussions. THR provided a brief summary of the film’s story:

The story focuses on two disparate childhood friends who are now accomplished firefighters and face a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly series of Texas blazes while navigating their relationship.

Powell clarified his involvement in Backdraft in 2024, making it clear that he was not involved in the potential remake. This followed a series of rumors which, following Powell’s participation in Twisters, seemed to follow a trend for the actor. Fortunately, it seems that Powell is more interested in developing and being involved in original projects that will have more flexibility for him. Rather than being typecast, he seems to want to spend his time on stories that he can have a greater hand in developing.

Glen Powell’s New Firefighter Movie Has More Freedom Than A Backdraft Remake

An Original Film Does Not Have To Follow The Prior Movie’s Story

Backdraft is an excellent firefighter thriller, and its success was built on the original action alongside several great performances from actors like Robert De Niro, Kurt Russell, and Stephen Baldwin. The film was developed around the concept of backdrafts, which are essentially explosions of fire that serve as a major danger to firefighters. With this in mind, there is only so much franchise strength that could be used in remaking the film, and any need to remain faithful could hamper the effectiveness of a new story.

A Backdraft remake may still occur, although there is little reason for one. Developing a new, original story from the same director with a new generation of stars, including Powell, could provide the same draw without any of the drawbacks. This new original project would not have the brand ᴀssociation of Backdraft, but there is a question about how valuable that intellectual property even is; a sequel to Backdraft was released in 2019, but was a straight-to-video effort that few saw or had interest in.

Glen Powell Has Already Been Part Of A Lot Of Remakes & Franchises

Top Gun, Twisters, And The Running Man Are Already Connected To Other Series

Powell is an excellent actor with incredible charm, and it seems that everyone wants to work with him. After auditioning for the role of Rooster in Top Gun: Maverick and not getting the part, Tom Cruise had an existing part rewritten specifically for Powell, making the role larger, meatier, and more specifically tailored to Powell’s talents. It is clear that the actor has found space for himself within franchises, which have used his style and archetype to build original and interesting characters, but there is some worry that Powell could become too pigeonholed in these various series.

Powell is a great actor, and he would fit into all kinds of different franchises. The actor has been pointed out as a great candidate for characters in the next Batman movie, alongside other popular series. His appearance and acting ability have earned him the lead role in Edgar Wright’s upcoming remake of The Running Man, but this has led to some concern about the trajectory of the actor’s career. It is difficult not to oversaturate the market with too many new iterations of popular properties.

With Twisters, Top Gun: Maverick, and the upcoming Running Man, Powell has become involved in many franchises. Fortunately, Powell rejected a role in Jurᴀssic World Rebirth due to his wish to avoid typecasting, showing that the actor is putting great care into building his own Hollywood brand. With collaborations with Hollywood legends like Richard Linklater behind, and Jenkins, Apatow, and now Howard ahead, things look bright for the burgeoning star.

Glen Powell’s Reverence For Backdraft Should Help This New Firefighter Movie

Backdraft Can Be A Great Inspiration For The New Film

Powell has spoken about his appreciation for Backdraft, and the actor’s comments help to show why this new direction is much better for the actor. Powell said warm things about Backdraft on The Playlist‘s Discourse Podcast and explained how it is set in a world that is “ripe for exploration” before dismissing his involvement. It seems that, following his interest in defining himself in more original projects, Powell is more interested in the pieces that made up Backdraft rather than following up on the film itself. He said:

Yeah, that’s not really a thing. So, I’m not really sure. Yeah [it’s a rumor], but I mean, obviously, I’m a fan of Backdraft. I think Backdraft is an incredible film. I’m a huge Kurt Russell fan, as well. I think it’s a world that’s ripe for exploration, but not in terms of me around it. That’s nothing I can really speak to it.

By tackling similar subject matter alongside the same filmmaker, this next firefighter project could wind up being something truly special. Ron Howard’s best movies have shown the filmmaker’s proficiency with both action and drama, and these, combined with a charismatic lead performance from Powell, could result in one of the director’s most exciting projects in years. Building on Howard’s experience in the genre, and Powell’s inspiration from his appreciation of Backdraft, this new film could be great, albeit different.

Glen Powell is working hard to not become a typecast actor in Hollywood, and his signing on to so many original projects only helps attest to this. Rather than being stuck in repeated franchise roles, Powell continuously looks to challenge himself with interesting stories alongside some of the best creatives in the industry. He is quickly becoming a must-see actor who chooses great projects, and this new firefighter film, alongside Ron Howard, looks to be no exception for the actor’s impressive body of work.

Sources: Discourse Podcast