Is Netflix’s Hit Man Based on a True Story?

Netflix action-romcom Hit Man tells a stranger-than-fiction tale – but is it really based on a true story? And who wrote the flick’s screenplay?

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Is Hit Man Based on a True Story?

Yes, Hit Man is based on a true story – but only very loosely. The film cribs from the real-life exploits of Gary Johnson, a college professor who posed as a contract killer for the Houston police force. As a faux-hitman, Johnson played a pivotal role in sting operations from the late 80s and 90s, resulting in over 60 arrests. Police informants would connect Johnson with people looking to have someone bumped off in exchange for money, and he’d extract their unwitting confession while wearing a wire. As noted in the 2001 Texas Monthly profile on Johnson that inspired Hit Man, Gary eventually became “the most sought-after professional killer in Houston.”

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However, there are several key differences between the actual Gary Johnson and his screen counterpart. For starters, unlike the character played by Glen Powell in Hit Man, the real Johnson employed relatively simple disguises. What’s more, Johnson’s relationship with the abuse victim who inspired Adria Arjona’s Madison Figueroa Masters was also markedly different. While the counterfeit contract killer did cut a woman in an abusive relationship a break as depicted in the movie, the pair (probably) never hooked up. The circumstances of Johnson’s first sting operation were somewhat different in real life, too – although he really was thrown in the deep end by the Houston police!

Who Wrote the Screenplay for Netflix’s Hit Man?

Richard Linklater and Glen Powell wrote the screenplay for Hit Man. Linklater (who also directed the film) quickly decided that Gary Johnson’s story would work as a movie after reading the Texas Monthly article. Unfortunately, Linklater couldn’t figure out how to build a convincing arc for Johnson, so he shelved the project. Fast forward almost 20 years, and Linklater’s frequent collaborator Powell convinced him they should take another stab at the script together.

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Linklater also credits Powell with helping them find their way into the story. “I remember Glen saying, ‘Well, what if we just don’t stick to the facts?’,” the filmmaker told Tudum in June 2024. “‘What if we cut loose once?'” Following this conversation, Linklater and Powell developed the Gary/Madison romance, including the conceit that Johnson would maintain his hitman persona throughout. They also beefed up Johnson’s catalog of cover identities, which Powell “pushed […] to the max.”

Hit Man is currently streaming on Netflix.