Hollywood may be rediscovering the value of the movie star. Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones have emerged as two of the clearest examples of actors who can combine recognizable personalities with strong theatrical appeal.
Their partnership in Twisters provided the biggest proof. The 2024 disaster movie opened to an impressive $80.5 million in North America. Its success showed that audiences could still turn out for a large-scale theatrical film built around charismatic actors and a familiar cinematic concept.
Twisters Changed the Conversation
Twisters arrived with obvious franchise recognition. However, the movie also depended heavily on the chemistry between Powell and Edgar-Jones.
Powell brought his increasingly recognizable combination of confidence, humor, and action-star energy. Edgar-Jones provided a more grounded counterbalance, giving the film emotional weight alongside its spectacular storm sequences.
That combination helped make the movie feel accessible to audiences beyond traditional blockbuster fans. Industry forecasts initially expected a strong opening, but the film ultimately exceeded those expectations.
Powell Is Building a Modern Movie-Star Identity
Powell’s rise has been unusually broad. He has moved between romantic comedy, action, drama, and blockbuster filmmaking without becoming locked into one genre.
His upcoming projects continue that strategy. The Great Beyond, directed by J.J. Abrams, places Powell at the center of a major science-fantasy movie scheduled for November 2026.
The project also gives him another opportunity to prove that his appeal can extend beyond established franchises.
Edgar-Jones Is Taking a Different Route
Edgar-Jones is building her own form of stardom through range. After gaining international attention through Normal People and Where the Crawdads Sing, she has continued moving between contemporary drama, blockbuster entertainment, and literary adaptations.
Her next major theatrical release is Sense and Sensibility, where she plays Elinor Dashwood. The Jane Austen adaptation arrives in U.S. theaters on October 16, 2026.
Edgar-Jones has described the new version as both an escape from modern life and a story that can still feel relevant to a 2026 audience.
The New Definition of a Movie Star
Today’s leading actors do not necessarily need to belong to one enormous cinematic universe. Instead, audiences increasingly respond to personality, versatility, chemistry, and the promise of an entertaining theatrical experience.
That makes Powell and Edgar-Jones particularly valuable. They can support recognizable properties while also bringing credibility to new stories.
The broader 2026 box office provides encouraging evidence. The summer theatrical market passed $4 billion, its strongest performance since 2019, although the results also showed that audiences remain selective about which movies deserve a trip to the cinema.
Why Their Rise Matters
The success of Powell and Edgar-Jones represents more than two individual careers. It points toward a Hollywood model in which performers once again become a major reason audiences choose one movie over another.
Their careers also demonstrate two complementary paths. Powell is leaning into blockbuster charisma and genre versatility, while Edgar-Jones is balancing commercial projects with sophisticated dramatic material.
If their upcoming films continue to connect with audiences, Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones could become defining faces of Hollywood’s next theatrical era.
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