Netflix has snagged its most ambitious deal yet with espionage thriller The Gray Man, Deadline reports. The streaming juggernaut has seen an exponential boost in subscribers to the tune of 10 million over the course of the pandemic. The Gray Man will star Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling with the Russo Brothers at the helm. Evans has worked with the Russo Brothers on Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Now, the budget for The Gray Man is up to $200 million — a pretty penny, indeed. According to Deadline, the intent is to curate a new thriller franchise on the scale of James Bond. Here’s a synopsis for the impending flick:
“The action thriller is a deadly duel between killers as Gentry (Gosling) is hunted across the globe by Lloyd Hansen (Evans), a former cohort of Gentry’s at the CIA.”
Gosling is purported to star in multiple installments. However, there’s no word whether Evans will commit to more than one film. Initially, The Gray Man was a Brad Pitt/James Gray project but it fell flat. The Russo Brothers have been developing the film under the radar for several years.
Aside from The Gray Man, the Russos are creating a live-action version of Hercules for Disney. In addition, they’re adapting the novel Exit West for Netflix. Evans recently starred in Apple TV+ thriller series Defending Jacob, marking his much-anticipated return to television. Gosling was recently seen in HBO’s My Favorite Shapes by Julio Torres. The actor will also star in Wolfman.
RELATED: Read all Defending Jacob recaps here!
Anthony Russo had this to say regarding the espionage film:
The movie is a real ‘mano a mano’ between those two great actors who represent two different versions of the CIA, in what it can be, and what it can do. For those who were fans of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this is us moving into that territory in more of a real-world setting. That’s what this movie really means for us.
Personally, I’m excited for an Evans/Gosling/Russo Brothers team-up. It’s been proven that the Russos are magic makers — from Community to their storied Marvel legacy, the dynamic director duo only improve with time. Plus, I’m a simple gal — I see Chris Evans, I watch Chris Evans. If The Gray Man has the feel of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, then I’m on board. The aforementioned is easily one of my favorite Marvel movies of all time.
What are your thoughts on The Gray Man? Sound off in the comments below!
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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