A24 has released the first official trailer for How to Make a Killing, the upcoming revenge thriller from Emily the Criminal director John Patton Ford. Starring Glen Powell (The Running Man, Hit Man), Ed Harris (The Truman Show, Apollo 13), and Margaret Qualley (The Substance, Blue Moon), the film is set to arrive in theaters on February 20, 2026, sharing its opening weekend with Psycho Killer (20th Century Studios) and I Can Only Imagine 2 (Lionsgate).
Inspired by the 1949 Ealing classic Kind Hearts and Coronets, the film builds on the premise of a wronged outsider determined to reclaim a place within an aristocratic bloodline – one obstacle at a time. While Ford’s adaptation takes its own path, it remains rooted in the structure and sharp social commentary that made the original a high point of British cinema.
The screenplay – first known under the title Rothchild – earned a spot on the 2014 Black List, highlighting it as one of that year’s most notable unproduced scripts. The project has evolved significantly since then; Jon S. Baird was previously attached to direct, with Shia LaBeouf and Mel Gibson once in early talks to lead before the film shifted into its current form.
Backed and financed by Studiocanal, How to Make a Killing also features Jessica Henwick, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.
With today’s trailer launch, the film officially enters the spotlight ahead of what promises to be quite the competitive February release frame.
