Glen Powell Proved He Would Be a Star in 2-Part Thriller-Comedy ‘Scream Queens’

by

Glen Powell has quickly become a familiar face in recent years. From starring alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick to his chemistry with Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You, and his standout role in Twisters, he’s all over the big screen. He’s also found success on streaming with Netflix’s Hit Man and Hulu’s Chad Powers, and his new movie, How to Make a Killing, is coming out this weekend. While it might seem like he appeared suddenly, horror fans have known about his talent for years.

Ryan Murphy became a major force in horror television in the early 2010s with his show American Horror Story, which offered shocking, stylish, and funny seasons of terror. In 2015, he shifted gears with Scream Queens on Fox, moving away from pure horror and embracing comedy. Scream Queens took inspiration from the Scream movies, featuring a self-aware, slasher-style murder mystery set on a college campus. However, Murphy’s unique talent really shone through in the show’s heavy use of satire and dark humor.

Director Ryan Murphy definitely had a strong cast to work with, including stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Keke Palmer, Billie Lourd, and Abigail Breslin. Playing Chad Radwell, a ridiculously self-absorbed character, really allowed Powell to shine. Chad is the kind of character you’re supposed to dislike, and his lines were often foolish, but Powell played him so well that he was still surprisingly likable.

A Wealth of Young Talent

When Scream Queens first aired, Emma Roberts and Keke Palmer were already becoming well-known actresses. But looking back ten years later, it’s surprising to see how many other famous faces were also on the show. Ariana Grande from Wicked, Taylor Lautner from Twilight, and Nasim Pedrad from Saturday Night Live all appeared, along with Disney stars Nick Jonas and Grace Phipps.

Curtis wasn’t the only well-known actor to appear on the show. John Stamos, Kirstie Alley, Jerry O’Connell, Cecily Strong, Brooke Shields, and Cheri Oteri also guest-starred during its run. Similar to American Horror Story, Scream Queens successfully combined established stars with up-and-coming actors who later became famous.

Too Weird for Network TV


Fox

Ryan Murphy consistently pushes boundaries on FX and streaming platforms. He’s currently preparing for the thirteenth season of American Horror Story, which already spawned the spin-off American Horror Stories. Beyond that, he’s created several other successful series for FX, including Grotesquerie and The Beauty, as well as American Crime Story, Feud, Pose, and American Sports Story. Because platforms like FX, Netflix, and Hulu offer more creative freedom, Murphy hasn’t had to tone down his often-challenging and provocative stories.

Unlike shows on cable or streaming services, Scream Queens, which aired on Fox, had to be more careful with mature content like sex, violence, and strong language. Fox also needed the show to attract a large audience to justify its cost. Ultimately, the series was canceled because fewer people were watching, it didn’t appeal to a broad enough audience, and the actors were expensive.

The show remains popular thanks to rising stars like Powell, Grande, and Roberts, and the creator, Murphy, has hinted at a possible Season 3. However, it’s still uncertain whether these in-demand actors will be available to participate.




5 Questions

Test Your Glen Powell & Scream Queens Knowledge!
Your Top Score
—
Attempts
—
0
0
Report Error

Found an error? Send it info@movieweb.com so it can be corrected.

Read More

2026-02-21 18:33