Welcome to 'The Gray Man' Expanded Universe
With the end of Daniel Craig’s James Bond era, there’s an opening for a new spy franchise to take center stage.
Following its impressive #1 debut in 92 countries, Netflix has announced its plans to expand The Gray Man into a franchise of its own, with the exciting news comes mere days after its premiere on the streaming service. The film is an action-filled globetrotting adventure that centres on Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling), an unstoppable CIA operative who accidentally discovers dark secrets about the agency and goes rogue. The leader of the Sierra program (Regé-Jean Page) puts a bounty on Six’s head and calls upon a murderous assassin, Lloyd (Chris Evans), to make sure Six is caught. Fellow CIA agent Miranda (Ana de Armas) joins Six in going rogue as the manhunt goes global.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, most known for their contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, helmed The Gray Man. The film currently sits at a 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating and the Russo Brothers are making plans to return for the sequel that is already in development. Like The Gray Man, its sequel will focus on Sierra Six. Stephen McFeely, co-writer of the first film, will take on the script for the sequel by himself. McFeely will be able to draw inspiration from the best-selling book series of the same name by Mark Greaney that the first film was adapted from.
“The audience reaction to The Gray Man has been nothing short of phenomenal,” says a statement from the Russo Brothers. “We are so appreciative of the enthusiasm that fans across the world have had for this film. With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for The Gray Man to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan, as well as a second script that we’re excited to talk about soon.”
The sequel is not the only project in The Gray Man universe that was announced. Plans are also being made for a spin-off that will expand the world of The Gray Man. The exact plot and focus of the film are being kept under wraps for now, but the script will be written by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. Those names should be familiar for fans of Zombieland and Deadpool, as the duo wrote those action comedies.
The Gray Man was produced by the Russo Brothers’ independent studio, AGBO. Created in 2017 by the Russos and producer Mike Larocca, AGBO has produced films like Extraction (starring Chris Hemsworth), Cherry (starring Tom Holland), and the multiverse event of the year, Everything Everywhere All At Once. The goal of the studio is to innovate, entertain, and inspire audiences around the world. The Gray Man marks the second film produced by AGBO to debut at number one on Netflix.
"With The Gray Man, the Russos delivered an edge-of-your-seat spectacle that audiences around the world are loving,” says Scott Stuber, Head of Netflix Global Film. “We're excited to continue to partner with them and the team at AGBO as they build out The Gray Man universe."