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Netflix Commits Nearly $200M to Russo Brothers for New Espionage Thriller

Photo via The Russo Brothers Instagram

Netflix Commits Nearly $200M to Russo Brothers for New Espionage Thriller

By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Write

Netflix just committed an incredible amount of money to an espionage thriller directed by ABGO’s Joe and Anthony Russo.

Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans are set to star in THE GRAY MAN, the first blockbuster movie the Russo brothers have directed since AVENGERS: ENDGAME, which set an all-time global box office record.

Movieguide® selected ENDGAME as one of the Best Movies for Mature Audiences at the 28th Movieguide® Awards.

According to Deadline, the intention behind the movie is to set the stage for a “James Bond” level franchise with a budget upwards of $200 million, which is the largest budget Netflix has ever approved.

Joe Russo penned the script, with final touches done by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICAN and AVENGERS movies.

McFeely also wrote the screenplays for THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE; THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN; and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE won the John Templeton Foundation Epiphany Prizes® for Most Inspiring Movie of 2005. It was also named as Movieguide’s® Best Movie for Families the same year.

PRINCE CASPIAN was nominated for the Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2008 and selected as one of Movieguide®’s 10 Best Movies for Families as well.

THE GRAY MAN is based on Mark Greaney’s 2009 novel about a freelance assassin called the Gray Man, a former CIA operative named Court Gentry.

The movie will follow Gentry (Gosling) as he’s hunted around the world by Lloyd Hansen (Evans), a former partner of Gentry’s at the CIA. The intention is for Gosling to stay on with the franchise through other movies.

“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,” Anthony Russo told Deadline. “For those who were fans of Captain America: 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.”

Of CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER, Movieguide® reviewed:

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is a terrific action movie. It hits all the right plot points and adds some nifty twists. Once again, Chris Evans does a superb job as the iconic hero. The supporting players are also excellent. Happily, THE WINTER SOLIDER has a strong Christian, redemptive, moral, patriotic worldview with an overt baptism and other Christian symbolism. Captain America and his friends are protecting both American liberty and world freedom. THE WINTER SOLDIER warrants caution, however, for intense action violence and brief foul language.

When talking about the scale of his upcoming movie, Joe Russo said,

“The intention is for it to be competitive with any theatrical, and the ability to do with with Gosling and Evans is a dream for us. The idea is to create a franchise and build out a whole universe, with Ryan at the center of it. We have all committed to the first movie, and that’s got to be great to get us to the second movie. These are master assassins, and Gosling’s characters gets burned by the CIA and Evans’ character has to hunt him down. We have a great working relationship with Netflix, and we go back almost 20 years with Scott Stuber. We formed AGBO to be an agnostic storytelling company, where we figure out the best platform. We think Netflix is the perfect place for this film.”

The news comes just after Netflix released their top 10 original movie list, which is topped by the Russo brothers’ EXTRACTION.

Movieguide® found EXTRACTION to be “excessively graphic, with lots of killing.

“EXTRACTION also contains a significant amount of strong foul language. MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.”

EXTRACTION has a sequel in the works, and if THE GRAY MAN is as popular as the latter, the Russo brothers will have two franchises at Netflix.

 

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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.