“Over time, I realized that politics divide people,” Powell said. “People trying to prove their point — for me, it’s the worst version of a conversation. I genuinely do not like the discourse. It’s not as healthy as it once was. [Engaging in politics] is not presently possible. I applaud people for jumping into those things and fighting for what they believe in. If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere.”
While Powell steered clear of political talk in his Esquire cover story, he did briefly open up about experiencing some of his first box office flops after a string of hits that included “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Anyone But You” and “Twisters.” His fall 2025 tentpole “The Running Man” bombed with under $70 million worldwide on a production budget in the $110 million range. According to Powell, drama at Paramount Pictures did not set the Edgar Wright-directed movie up for financial success.
“They let go of an entire marketing department a month before our movie came out in the middle of a merger,” said Powell, referring to mass Paramount layoffs that hit in late October 2025 just weeks before “The Running Man” opened in theaters.
After “The Running Man” came this winter’s “How to Make a Killing,” an A24-backed dark crime comedy that tapped out with $21 million worldwide.
“There were a lot of issues with that,” Powell told the magazine. “There just was not enough time to do it properly. I look back on that one as an example of going, You know what, there’s no rush.”
