Can a luxury salesman murder his way into a twenty-eight billion dollar fortune?
In short: In the 2026 black comedy How to Make a Killing, Becket Redfellow discovers a loophole in his estranged family's will. To claim a massive inheritance, he systematically eliminates his wealthy relatives. But as the FBI closes in and a childhood friend turns blackmailer, the path to riches becomes dangerously complicated.
Directed by John Patton Ford, How to Make a Killing follows Becket Redfellow, a New York suit salesman who decides to murder his way into a $28 billion fortune after being disowned by his wealthy family. The film, which draws inspiration from the 1949 classic Kind Hearts and Coronets, depicts Becket’s calculated efforts to eliminate his cousins, aunt, and uncle through methods ranging from staged chemical explosions to poisoned coffee. Despite his ruthless ambition, Becket finds himself conflicted when he develops genuine affection for his uncle Warren, leading him to briefly abandon his lethal pursuit.
The narrative takes a sharp turn when Julia Steinway, a childhood friend, discovers photographic evidence of his crimes and demands a payoff. Becket’s journey culminates in a confrontation with his grandfather, Whitelaw, who reveals his own history of moral compromise and demands that Becket kill him to secure the inheritance. Although Becket acts in self-defense, he is later arrested for the murder of Julia’s husband, Lyle. The film concludes with a cynical twist: Becket is exonerated only after signing over the entire fortune to Julia, leaving him free but stripped of the wealth he killed to obtain.
The production history of the film was extensive, with the screenplay originally appearing on the 2014 Black List under the title Rothchild. After years of development and a title change to Huntington, the final version was shot in Cape Town and released in February 2026. Critical reception was mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 45% approval rating. While some reviewers praised Glen Powell’s magnetic performance, others found the film tonally uneven, noting that it struggled to balance its dark comedic ambitions with the mechanics of a traditional thriller.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How to Make a Killing
- Also: Wikidata — How to Make a Killing · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — How To Make A Killing · CC0
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