Need a ‘killer’? Netflix parodies famous LA lawyer posters to promote new film

June 29, 2024

Los Angeles has become famous—or perhaps infamous—for its ubiquitous personal injury lawyer billboards, which have only skyrocketed in number since the pandemic, so it’s not too surprising that to promote its new, breakout film, Hit Man, Netflix decided to reimagine this city icon with a deadly twist.

In the romantic action comedy directed by Richard Linklater, Glen Powell plays a mild-mannered professor who moonlights as an undercover assassin for the police — and eventually falls in love with a woman (Adria Arjona) who employs his services. To capture the playful, slightly dangerous spirit of the film, which hits streaming Friday, the Netflix marketing team has designed a series of billboards featuring Powell’s character in several of his various assassin roles. The slogans are reminiscent of familiar lawyer ads like Call Jacob, Sweet James and Accidentes, but contain more ominous messages: “Keep your hands clean: Call Dean,” “Ron the assassin: I’d kill for your business,” “Accidents: I make them happen.”

Each billboard features a phone number (717-4-HITMAN) that, when called, plays a message from Powell: “I’m sorry to tell you, but I’m not a real killer. But just because I’m not a real killer doesn’t mean I can’t play one.” Callers are then asked to leave a message; according to Netflix, more than 3,300 people have called that number, and about 500 of them left voicemail messages. (It’s unclear how many of those are serious requests for the services of a paid killer, but one can hope that number is zero.)

The billboards and bus stop ads that have popped up all over the city in recent days will stay up for at least another week. (Similar ads have also popped up in New York.) If one of them catches your eye, try not to rear-end the car in front of you—but if that happens, there are plenty of lawyers in LA ready to take your call.