Glen Powell is set to headline and produce a new film about firefighters, partnering with director Ron Howard for the project recently picked up by Amazon MGM Studios. The untitled project puts the Glen Powell new firefighter movie at the center of wide anticipation in the entertainment industry, as both talent and studio aim to capture audiences with a fresh take on heroism and personal conflict.
This collaboration brings together one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising actors with legendary filmmaker Ron Howard, well known for his ability to craft stories of endurance and bravery. Details on the story are still largely guarded, but the creative line-up promises an intense exploration of firefighter life set against a dramatic Texas backdrop.
Film Details: What to Expect from the Upcoming Firefighter Movie
Reporter Jeff Sneider revealed that Glen Powell will star under Howard’s direction, with Christina Hodson writing the screenplay. Hodson, whose writing credits include ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘Bumblebee’, was personally approached by Powell and Howard to generate ideas for the script. Amazon MGM Studios quickly secured the project, adding notable momentum to its development.
Powell is also attached as a producer via his Barnstorm production company, working alongside Imagine Entertainment, which is led by Howard and Brian Grazer. This marks another occasion where Imagine brings its expertise to stories set in high-stakes environments.
Plot Insights: Bonds and Blaze in Texas
While the full script remains under wraps, some core elements have surfaced. The film will focus on a group of childhood friends from Texas who, after years apart, are now reunited as elite firefighters. They must repair old friendships while responding to a series of dangerous fires sweeping across Texas, a plot poised to test both their bravery and their unresolved pasts.
The premise suggests a gripping mix of action and intimate drama, aligning with Powell’s on-screen strengths and Howard’s legacy of handling emotionally charged narratives. Elements of the story may evoke Howard’s earlier work, as he previously directed the 1991 classic ‘Backdraft’, which followed feuding siblings in the Chicago Fire Department. That film starred Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, and Robert De Niro, and became a pop-culture touchstone for firefighting dramas.
Silently behind a door, it waits. One breath of oxygen and it explodes in a deadly rage. In that instant it can create a hero…or cover a secret.
—Backdraft Tagline
The original ‘Backdraft’ was successful enough to inspire theme park attractions and a sequel released in 2019, though Howard’s involvement in the follow-up was limited to an executive producer role.
Producer Brian Grazer commented on his company’s engagement with such cinematic stories and mentioned Powell’s involvement directly:
“Imagine [Entertainment] has always played in that zone where there is that chance, high probability of chance, that it [a movie] will be successful in a movie theater. It’s great for us because we’ve built, over 30 years, over 100 different products –– brands. Whether it’s ‘Backdraft’ which I’m now going to do today with Glen Powell, or whether it’s 24, a movie that we’re going to do in a very interesting way with Disney-Fox.”
—Brian Grazer, Producer
While talk of a direct ‘Backdraft’ remake emerged last year, the new firefighter movie appears to instead chart its own path with echoes of those classic themes, as Powell and Howard guide a new vision balancing intense action and interpersonal conflict.
Glen Powell’s Expanding Slate of Projects
Despite previously expressing a desire to slow down, Glen Powell’s schedule remains packed with major roles. He recently appeared as Tyler in the tornado-focused film ‘Twisters’, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Powell’s upcoming television project is ‘Chad Powers’, a Hulu comedy series featuring him as Russ Holliday, a disgraced college quarterback who reinvents himself to join a struggling southern football team under an assumed identity.
On the film front, Powell is set to star in Paramount’s adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Running Man’, directed by Edgar Wright and slated for a theatrical release in November. Future projects include ‘Huntingdon’ by John Patton Ford, a thriller about a young man seeking to inherit family wealth through drastic means, as well as potential involvement in J.J. Abrams’ secretive film possibly titled ‘Ghostwriter’, alongside Jenna Ortega.
Powell also inked a first-look deal with Universal through his Barnstorm company, beginning with ‘The Natural Order’ helmed by Barry Jenkins. Additional attachments involve John Lee Hancock’s ‘Monsanto’ and a new Judd Apatow comedy currently in development.
Ron Howard’s Current and Upcoming Ventures
Ron Howard continues to maintain a full slate as both director and producer. He recently took on a cameo role in the Apple TV+ series ‘The Studio’ and is finishing ‘Eden’, a thriller depicting a group of individuals seeking profound change by severing ties with society and relocating to the rugged Galapagos islands. ‘Eden’ is scheduled for release on August 22nd.
Howard’s production activities span a range of upcoming projects that, while too numerous to list in detail, reinforce his enduring presence and influence in the industry.
Development Timelines and Industry Outlook
While Amazon MGM Studios has secured the firefighter project from Powell, Howard, and Hodson, it is still in the early development phase. Even with notable star power and creative leadership, projects at this stage occasionally face delays or risk stalling before formal production begins.
As development progresses, industry observers will be watching for updates on casting, filming timelines, and confirmation of additional creative collaborators. Audiences can expect continued announcements as the movie moves closer to becoming a reality.
Glen Powell’s Filmography: A Quick Guide
Glen Powell’s dynamic career spans a variety of genres and roles, cementing his reputation as a versatile actor. Here is a chronological list of some of his most prominent movie appearances:
1. ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
2. ‘The Expendables 3’ (2014)
3. ‘Ride Along 2’ (2016)
4. ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ (2016)
5. ‘Hidden Figures’ (2016)
6. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
7. ‘Devotion’ (2022)
8. ‘Hit Man’ (2024)
9. ‘Anyone But You’ (2023)
10. ‘Twisters’ (2024)
What’s Next for the Powell–Howard Firefighter Movie?
The Glen Powell new firefighter movie stands as a highly anticipated project, combining the storytelling skills of Ron Howard and the star power of Powell. As more production details and casting news emerge, expectations are high that this collaboration will deliver a compelling look at both personal and professional heroism in the face of extreme danger.
With Powell’s growing career momentum and Howard’s history of successful, emotionally driven films, the project underscores how modern entertainment continues to reimagine stories of teamwork and courage for new audiences. As Amazon MGM Studios moves forward, all eyes remain on Texas and the development of this fiery cinematic endeavor.
