Moviefone Editorial

Tag: spy thriller

  • TV Review: ‘Butterfly’

    Daniel Dae Kim in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Juhan Noh/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    Daniel Dae Kim in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Juhan Noh/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    ‘Butterfly’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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    Launching on Prime Video with all six episodes on August 13th, ‘Butterfly’ sees Daniel Dae Kim (‘Lost’) in a starring role as an intelligence operative working within the shadowy boundaries of the law after faking his death.

    The series also stars Piper Perabo (‘Coyote Ugly’), Reina Hardesty (‘It’s What’s Inside’), Louis Landau (‘Rivals’) and Charles Parnell (‘Top Gun: Maverick’)

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Joy Ride’

    Initial Thoughts

    Piper Perabo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    Piper Perabo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Prime Video hasn’t exactly had the best luck in the spy genre. It looked to launch the ambitious, globe-trotting (and spin-off-generating) ‘Citadel’ with a starry cast and the backing of the Russo brothers. The result was a giant shrug by viewers, and the next season of the show is effectively being burned off.

    You can imagine, then, that hopes are higher for ‘Butterfly’, which adapts the Boom! Studios graphic novel by Arash Amel. It also has the appeal of a Seoul-set story and the considerable charisma of Daniel Dae Kim in the lead. Is it enough to win back audiences who didn’t seem to be in the mood before.

    Script and Direction

    Park Hae-soo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    Park Hae-soo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Steph Cha created the series based on the graphic novel source material, and Ken Woodruff (‘Gotham’) serves as showrunner.

    The writing team has spliced enough heart into the story to keep it interesting (helped by Kim in particular in front of the camera), but there are still an awful lot of spy clichés lurking within it.

    If you’re tired of watching tech teams track people using banks of monitors or lethal assassins turns out to have quirkier sides, then ‘Butterfly’ will tick a few too many boxes on that front. And the villainous, powerful organization at its core is full of the sort of stock threat we’re all too used to.

    At least on the visual an action front (with directors Kim Jin-min, Kitao Sakurai and Jann Turner handling two episodes each), the show has more to impress, with shiny/gritty Korean backdrops and stunt moments that are top tier for TV.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Reina Hardesty, Daniel Dae Kim in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Juhan Noh/Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Reina Hardesty, Daniel Dae Kim in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Juhan Noh/Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Daniel Dae Kim is, of course, great in the lead role –– whether he’s trading punches with enemies or trying to bond with family members he had to leave behind when he faked his death.

    He’s easily matched by Reina Hardesty as Rebecca, the lethal agent sent to track him down, who also has a chance to show some vulnerability.

    Piper Perabo, meanwhile, despite a striking introduction interrogating an agent for intel, struggles to make the role of Juno more than a basic villain.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Louis Landau, Piper Perabo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    (L to R) Louis Landau, Piper Perabo in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    ‘Butterfly’ isn’t perfect, but it’s perfectly adequate espionage entertainment, with a compelling lead role and some solid action moments.

    Will it stand out from the pack? Only time will tell, but it does at least have some elements to recommend it.

    What’s the plot of ‘Butterfly’?

    David Jung (Daniel Dae Kim), an enigmatic, highly unpredictable former US intelligence operative living in South Korea, whose life is blown to pieces when the consequences of an impossible decision from his past come back to haunt him.

    He finds himself pursued by Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a deadly, sociopathic young agent assigned to kill him.

    Who stars in ‘Butterfly’?

    • Daniel Dae Kim as David Jung
    • Reina Hardesty as Rebecca
    • Piper Perabo as Juno
    • Louis Landau as Oliver
    • Charles Parnell as Senator Dawson
    • Kim Ji-hoon as Gun
    Kim Ji-hoon in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    Kim Ji-hoon in ‘Butterfly’. Photo: Courtesy of Prime. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

     

    Selected Movies and TV Series Featuring Daniel Dae Kim:

    Buy Daniel Dae Kim Movies and TV Series on Amazon

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  • Angelina Jolie to Star in Spy Thriller ‘The Initiative’

    (Left) Angelina Jolie arrives for the live ABC Telecast of The 86th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, CA. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Director Doug Liman attends Apple Original Films’ world premiere of 'The Instigators' at the Jazz at Lincoln Center. 'The Instigators' opens in select theaters on Friday, August 2, 2024, before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 9, 2024.
    (Left) Angelina Jolie arrives for the live ABC Telecast of The 86th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, CA. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Director Doug Liman attends Apple Original Films’ world premiere of ‘The Instigators’ at the Jazz at Lincoln Center. ‘The Instigators’ opens in select theaters on Friday, August 2, 2024, before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 9, 2024.

    Preview:

    • Angelina Jolie is aboard to star in new spy thriller’ The Initiative’.
    • Doug Liman is directing the movie.
    • Universal has picked it up.

    If it feels like 20 years since Angelina Jolie and director Doug Liman worked together, that’s because, er, it was! Yes, believe it or not, ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’, about married spies/assassins who discover each other’s jobs and are assigned to take each other out, was released in 2005.

    While we’re busy pondering time’s endless march and chasing the darn kids off our darn lawn, Jolie and Liman are reuniting for a new espionage thriller, this one called ‘The Initiative’.

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    Via The Hollywood Reporter, word arrives that Jolie will star and Liman will direct the new movie, which Universal has been quick to snap up, including a script from ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’s F. Scott Frazier.

    Related Article: Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry to Face Off in New Action Thriller ‘Maude v Maude’

    What’s the story of ‘The Initiative’?

    Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    Frazier’s new screenplay, according to the Reporter, is described as ‘Training Day’ set in the world of spycraft.

    The story would see Jolie playing a rogue master spy named Bright who works outside the lines (not the newest concept in the world). When a new agent named Charlie joins Bright’s team, he soon finds himself in situations where he isn’t sure whether his new boss is trying to kill him or simply is willing to do whatever is necessary to protect the free world.

    While both Jolie and Liman have busy schedules, the studio is hoping this one can hit the fast track, and film early next year.

    What else is Angelina Jolie working on?

    Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Jolie was most recently seen in award-nominated biopic ‘Maria’ about opera singer Maria Callas, and also wrote, directed and produced war parable ‘Without Blood’, which has so far only been released in Italy following a festival run.

    Next up for her in terms of release is ‘Couture’, written and directed by Alice Winocour, which sees Jolie as American filmmaker Maxine, who arrives in Paris for Fashion Week on a life-and-death journey, facing challenges and self-discovery.

    And, as per usual, that’s just a sampling of what she’s either worked on or attached to. The busy filmmaker will also pop up being interviewed in documentaries including ‘World Food Programme’ and a variety of movies including ‘Anxious People’ and another action pic, ‘Maude v. Maude’.

    When will ‘The Initiative’ be in theaters?

    Universal, which is still putting the finishing touches to the deals for this one, has yet to specify a release date.

    But if it does shoot next year, we’d guess a 2027 release isn’t out of the question.

    Angelina Jolie as Fox in director Timur Bekmambetov's 'Wanted.' Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Angelina Jolie as Fox in director Timur Bekmambetov’s ‘Wanted.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

    List of Doug Liman Movies:

    Buy Doug Liman Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Black Bag’ Interview: Cate Blanchett and More

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    Opening in theaters on March 14th is the new spy thriller ‘Black Bag’, which was written by David Koepp (‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Mission: Impossible’) and directed by Oscar winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (‘Traffic’ and ‘The Limey’).

    The film stars Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (‘Blue Jasmine’), Michael Fassbender (‘The Killer’), Marisa Abela (‘Back to Black’), Naomie Harris (‘Skyfall’), Regé-Jean Page (‘The Gray Man’), Tom Burke (‘Living’), and Pierce Brosnan (‘Goldeneye’).

    (L to R) Naomie Harris, Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke star in director Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag'.
    (L to R) Naomie Harris, Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke star in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’.

    Related Article: Every Steven Soderbergh Movie, Ranked!

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris and Tom Burke about their work on ‘Black Bag’, Blanchett’s first reaction to the screenplay and exploring her character’s marriage, Harris and Burke’s characters’ motivations, and working with legendary filmmaker Steven Soderbergh.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Cate Blanchett stars as Kathryn St. Jean in director Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    Cate Blanchett stars as Kathryn St. Jean in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Cate, can you talk about your first reaction to David Koepp’s screenplay and the opportunity to explore this intriguing marriage dynamic between George and Catherine?

    Cate Blanchett: Yes, well, I’d already agreed to do it before I read the script, because obviously when you know David Koepp is writing it and Steven Soderbergh is going to direct it, you know it’s going to be a great adventure. So, then when Steven said he wanted Michael (Fassbender) to play George, I went, “Oh, that’s perfect.” But I was surprised by just how elusive their relationship was, but also how the absolute bedrock of their relationship is that they would die for each other. I find that deeply romantic, and particularly after they’ve been together a long time. They’ve clearly decided not to have children and they’re devoted to their work. But the only thing they’re devoted to more is each other. So, I think that there was an intensely romantic thing at the heart of this film, which was not something you necessarily associate with a texture in the movies that Steven makes.

    (L to R) Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean in director Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Naomie, can you talk about your approach to playing Zoe, and since she is a therapist to a group of spies, can she truly trust anything they say, and how does she navigate that?

    Naomie Harris: Well, I think she must be two steps ahead of them. I mean, she’s immensely intuitive, insightful and hugely intelligent, as well as being a little morally corrupt and slightly unorthodox in her methods. She’s basically created her own way of working in that environment where morality rules don’t matter. All that matters are results. Are the spies mentally sound and are they staying on mission? That’s it for her.

    (L to R) Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Tom, can you talk about how Freddie’s personal life is affecting his professional life?

    TB: Yeah, I mean, it’s alluded to in the dialogue and in everything that happens, I suppose, as well. You do feel like amid what must be an incredibly careful and focused skill set for his career, that there’s a completely improvised element of his own life that involves drinking, drugging and an awful lot else. That’s very interesting to play because it seems like a paradox, but also it makes sense that somebody like that might be drawn to a high-risk career. It’s to kind of accommodate that need or that drive.

    (L to R) Actor Michael Fassbender and director Steven Soderbergh on the set of 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Actor Michael Fassbender and director Steven Soderbergh on the set of ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Tom, as an actor, what is it like being on a Steven Soderbergh set? What was he like to work with as a director?

    TB: He has an amazing understanding of how to optimize what his actors are bringing to each scene and it’s not least to do with energy and time. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that handled quite so caringly or felt that handled quite so caringly.

    Director Steven Soderbergh on the set of 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    Director Steven Soderbergh on the set of ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Cate, you’ve worked with Steven Soderbergh before, how was this experience similar or different than the last time you worked together?

    CB: Well, we’d worked together years ago on a film called ‘The Good German’, which I think about three and a half people saw. But which Steven has said is one movie he was so completely happy with, and it was such an interesting experience for me. So, it was just a deepening of that experience. He’s so economical and so relaxed while he gives time to people to do what they do. So, he’s very respectful to every single department and grateful to every single department who are working towards making the movie great. What he doesn’t have any truck for is people who are lazy and unprepared. So, he makes you really want to bring your best for him. You want to be ready. If you say to him, “I need to go again”, he’ll go, “Don’t worry about it, I’m only going to use those four frames,” because he’s editing in his head. I mean, he’s like a machine with the biggest heart. You know, he really cares about the actors that he works with and every single member of the crew. So, before I worked with him, I don’t think I could even imagine that those two parts of a cinema artist could coexist as beautifully as they do in him.

    (L to R) Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes, Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh's 'Black Bag', a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes, Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, Naomie, what surprised you about working with Steven Soderbergh?

    NH: I think one of the shocking things for me about working with Steven was just how much freedom he gives to actors. He truly casts well and then he completely trusts you to make of the characters what you will. I’ve never had that much liberty. So, in the beginning I was really intimidated by it. But then it’s such a liberating and an empowering experience where you’re just like, this person believes in me so much that I can make any choice that I want. So, I really learned a lot from working with him.

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    What’s the story of ‘Black Bag’?

    ‘Black Bag’ follows legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his beloved wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett).

    When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test –– loyalty to his marriage or his country.

    Who also stars in ‘Black Bag’?

    • Cate Blanchett as Kathryn Woodhouse
    • Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse
    • Marisa Abela as Clarissa Dubose
    • Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls
    • Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughan
    • Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes
    • Pierce Brosnan as Arthur Stieglitz
    Oscar® nominee Steven Soderbergh arrives on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Oscar® nominee Steven Soderbergh arrives on the red carpet of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    List of Steven Soderbergh Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Black Bag’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Steven Soderbergh Movies on Amazon

     

  • Eddie Murphy to Star in ‘Blue Falcon’

    Eddie Murphy in the documentary 'Eddie'. Photo: Netflix.
    Eddie Murphy in the documentary ‘Eddie’. Photo: Netflix.

    Preview:

    • Eddie Murphy is attached to a new action comedy called ‘Blue Falcon.’
    • He’ll play a former superspy unexpectedly reunited with his archrival.
    • Chad St. John wrote the script.

    Eddie Murphy may never have had the chance to play James Bond, and he’s probably a little too old for the role now. Let’s be honest, though: who needs to be the stodgy old spy when you’re Axel Foley?

    Regardless, after appearing in one espionage-themed action comedy, 2002’s ‘I Spy,’ Murphy is getting the chance to be one himself. Or at least, a former superspy.

    The actor is now attached to star in new comedy project ‘Blue Falcon,’ which Deadline reports Sony Pictures is developing from a script by ‘London Has Fallen’ writer Chad St. John.

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    What’s the story of ‘Blue Falcon’?

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    St. John’s script will see Murphy play a retired spy who heads for the destination wedding of his estranged son and finds himself in proximity with his archrival.

    Awkward situations around relationships and families has become something of a theme in the actor’s recent work –– in ‘You People,’ he had to deal with his daughter becoming engaged to a quirky character played by Jonah Hill, ‘Candy Cane Lane’ saw him as a father trying to protect his kids (and Christmas), while even last year’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ had that character teaming up with his estranged daughter to solve a case.

    ‘Blue Falcon’ marks a somewhat surprising script from St. John, who is better known as an action writer who has been behind the likes of ‘Peppermint,’ ‘Replicas’ and the fourth ‘Expendables’ movie.

    He has been dabbling with comedy of late, though, including ‘My Own Worst Enemy,’ which has Kevin Hart attached.

    His next project to hit screens will be ‘Motor City,’ set in 1970s Detroit.

    Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Prime Video's 'Reacher' season 2.
    Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’ season 2.

    ‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson stars in that one as Miller, who falls in love with a local gangster’s girl.

    In retaliation, the gangster enacts a frame job to send the innocent man to prison. Life ruined, Miller plots a revenge campaign against the man who took his girl away.

    Potsy Ponciroli directed that one, and it’s awaiting a release date.

    Where else can we see Eddie Murphy?

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    With his career heating back up again in the last decade or so, Murphy has been busy, with a variety of action and family-friendly projects.

    He’s worked on Tim Story’s new action comedy ‘The Pickup’ (which is awaiting a release date) and has a number of projects in development including a reunion with his ‘Dreamgirls’ director Bill Condon on the life of Parliament Funkadelic founder George Clinton.

    Also on his list? A new take on the ‘Grumpy Old Men’ movies, a fresh adaptation of ‘The Pink Panther’ (which would see Murphy as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau and a new animated movie ‘Bodacious’ about a fearsome bull who becomes a rodeo champion.

    And while he’ll be heard rather than seen, Murphy has already been back at work on a new outing of DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Shrek’ franchise.

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    Here’s what he said about that last June to Collider:

    “We started doing Shrek four or five months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year. We’ll finish it up.”

    Walt Dohrn, who worked on the second and third films as a writer and artist and as Head of Story on the fourth film, is directing the fifth.

    ‘Shrek 5’ (assuming it doesn’t take a new title), will be in theaters on December 23rd, 2026.

    Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in 'Shrek'.
    (L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.

    Finally, there is a new documentary called ‘Eddie’ about his life and career coming from Netflix this year.

    In ‘Eddie,’ Murphy looks back on his extraordinary journey and looks ahead at what’s still to come, for the first time.

    The film chronicles his meteoric rise from teen comic phenomenon to ‘Saturday Night Live’ breakout and stand-up supernova to box office titan. It illuminates the evolution of Eddie Murphy –– the trails he blazed and records he broke on his way from Brooklyn upstart to Hollywood icon.

    He opens up his home and dives deep into his eclectic, nearly 50-year career. In his own words, he talks about entertaining three generations of fans with a filmography that spans comedy, action, drama, animation, musicals, and family fare.

    Will it also address his troubles and failures? We’ll have to wait and see on that front.

    Related Article: The 30 Best Eddie Murphy Movies of All Time!

    When will ‘Blue Falcon’ be in theaters?

    Sony hasn’t yet given this one a release date –– with a director still to be confirmed, the movie remains at a relatively early stage of development.

    Still, Murphy becoming attached certainly means it should be moving forward.

    Eddie Murphy attends Amazon Studios 'Candy Cane Lane' World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
    Eddie Murphy attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.

    List of Eddie Murphy Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Eddie Murphy Movies On Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘The Gray Man’

    Ryan Gosling as Six in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling as Six in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Stanislav Honzik/Netflix © 2022.

    Arriving on Netflix July 22nd, ‘The Gray Man’ represents the return of directors Joe and Anthony Russo’ to the sort of big-scale action entertainment they brought to screens with their Marvel movies, including ‘Avengers: Infinity War’rand ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

    Following a detour into character drama with ‘Cherry’ (which wasn’t as well received as their giant MCU entries) and producing other action fare such as ‘Extraction’, they’re back behind the camera, roping in the former Captain America (Chris Evans) to star alongside Ryan Gosling.

    Tearing a page from the likes of the ‘Bourne’ and ‘Bond’ stories, ‘The Gray Man’ adapts the novels by Mark Greaney. Here, the directors recruited their old ‘Captain America’ and ‘Avengers’ movie writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to work on the script alongside Joe Russo himself.

    ‘The Gray Man’ introduces us to Sierra Six (Gosling), plucked from prison years ago by Billy Bob Thornton’s Fitzroy to become the titular “gray” operative, working for the CIA outside the boundaries of the law and using any means necessary. He’s a killer when needed, but while he’s supremely efficient at his job, he’s also conflicted as to the marks left on his soul.

    Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen, Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer in 'The Gray Man.'
    (L to R) Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen, Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    On a mission to take out what his current handlers (including Regé-Jean Page’s Carmichael and Jessica Henwick’s Suzanne Brewer) assure him is a very bad guy, Six stumbles upon a drive holding information about a massive conspiracy.

    Soon, he’s on the run for his life, as his bosses really don’t want that information to get out into the world. To stop Six, they hire Lloyd Hansen (Evans), an ethics-free CIA washout who has reinvented himself as a private contractor, willing to do anything for money.

    He, in turn, looks to manipulate Six by leaning on (and torturing) Fitzroy and the older man’s niece, Claire (Julia Butters).

    With a variety of dangerous thugs hunting him down, Six has his wits and the occasional support of fellow fighter Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) to save his skin and reveal what he’s discovered.

    Chris Evans, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo on the set of 'The Gray Man.'
    (L to R) Chris Evans, Anthony Russo (Director-Producer), Joe Russo (Director-Producer-Writer) on the set of ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    The Russos bring all that they’ve learned working on giant Marvel movies to bear on this one, and it shows – the camera weaves and ducks (drone shots aplenty) into action scenes and the fights are carried off with aplomb and knowing humor. One moment finds de Armas’ Miranda grousing about Six tossing her an empty gun without letting her know, leading to a debate as to whether you should ever throw someone a loaded weapon.

    What does feel lacking here are truly developed characters. While you don’t usually come to an action thriller for deep drama, most of the people on display here are ciphers rather than fully developed people (and yes, their MCU entries had several movies in which to flesh out their people, not to mention an extensive comic book background).

    The dialogue, too, is also strictly thriller movie standard: characters growl hard-boiled lines about getting “bravo team in here” or lobbing put-downs at each other.

    In its central pair, though, they do at least have a couple of powerhouse performers who are clearly having a blast (which also describes several of the set pieces). Gosling is a soulful, darkly charming lead who does at least have a little bit of a backstory with his prison past, though his daddy issue origin story is hardly the freshest idea in the world.

    Chris Evans in 'The Gray Man.'
    Chris Evans in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    As for Evans, he’s shrugging off the stalwart Steve Rogers to play an even darker, smarmier character than his ‘Knives Out’ role. With a terrible mustache and a massive ego, Hansen is a worthy rival, one who has fun being awful to people. He’s also handed some of the better lines of the movie, including “if you want to make an omelet, you gotta kill some people.”

    Everyone else is at least dependable – Butters brings some life to what is otherwise a thankless damsel in distress, while Thornton brings strong paternal figure energy crossed with no-nonsense attitude to Fitzroy.

    Despite the flair and the passion on display, though, it all starts to feel a little generic at times, and early on the editing is distractingly swift, the footage sliced apart to such a degree as to give even the likes of Michael Bay nightmares.

    Running on rails through its story from one action beat to the next with barely a pause, ‘The Gray Man’ can start to feel like a video game, Six battling against each threat, proving that he can get out of any situation, even when the odds are against him.

    Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda, and Ryan Gosling as Six in 'The Gray Man.'
    (L to R) Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda, and Ryan Gosling as Six in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    There are action cliches aplenty and some sequences that feel like the filmmaking team just wanted to homage or top some of their favorite movies, resulting in a product that sometimes becomes less than the sum of its parts.

    Yet there’s no denying the energy of the movie, nor the sheer appeal of two movie stars playing spies. And you’re in no doubt that a lot has been spent to make this one as big as possible – it hops around the globe and featuring the sort of massive set-pieces few other franchises (and make no mistake, this is an attempt to launch a new one) can pull off.

    Though ‘The Gray Man’ can’t quite replicate the visceral thrills and emotional impact of, say, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, it certainly manages to deliver on the spectacle. It’s never going to probe the deeper levels of governmental responsibility in an increasingly dangerous world, but that’s not the point here – the movie wants to make you fear for Six and cheer when he survives, say, having to jump out of a plane without a parachute.

    Zero wheels are re-invented here, yet the film offers sleek thrills, well-shot stunts and star charisma in abundance.

    ‘The Gray Man’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

    Ryan Gosling in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022. © 2022 Netflix, Inc.
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  • First Images of ‘The Gray Man’

    Ryan Gosling in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    When they’re not busy building their ever-expanding production empire AGBO, writing/producing/directing duo and sibling team Joe and Anthony Russo have been finding time to make more movies following the giant success of ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

    And though they haven’t returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve certainly been sticking with some of its stars – Tom Holland, for example, in addiction drama ‘Cherry’.

    For new, big-budget Netflix action thriller ‘The Gray Man’, it’s Chris Evans who is back working alongside the brothers, but he’s just one of the people crowded into the new movie, as Ryan Gosling, Anna de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Wagner Moura, Dhanush, Billy Bob Thornton, Alfre Woodard, Regé-Jean Page, Julia Butters, Eme Ikwuakor and Scott Haze are all in the cast.

    ‘The Gray Man’ adapts Mark Greaney’s novel series, which is full of spy action. The titular Gray Man is CIA operative Court Gentry (Gosling), AKA Sierra Six. Plucked from a federal penitentiary and recruited by his handler, Donald Fitzroy (Thornton), Gentry was once a highly skilled, Agency-sanctioned merchant of death.

    But now the tables have turned and Six is the target, hunted across the globe by Lloyd Hansen (Evans), a former cohort at the CIA, who will stop at nothing to take him out. Agent Dani Miranda (Ade Armas) has his back. He’ll need it.

    What’s striking about the pictures released so far is all the facial fuzz on display – at least from Evans and Gosling, who both seem to have gone for some sort of ‘tache or beard here.

    Netflix has coughed up a healthy budget – $200 million at last report –for this one, clearly hoping that it’ll kick off a franchise to keep fans coming back in the next few years.

    Chris Evans in 'The Gray Man.'
    Chris Evans in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.

    Plus, as they proved with their MCU entries (and some expert stunt folk), the Russos know how to make thrilling action scenes and interesting characters combine on screen.

    Joe Russo adapted the script here alongside old MCU collaborators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who worked with them on the likes of the ‘Captain America’ movies and the giant ‘Avengers’ installments they made.

    Gosling has rarely been one to dabble in blockbuster territory, at least since his career offered the chance to do other things, and when he has, it has tended to be for the likes of ‘Blade Runner 2049’.

    Evans, while no stranger to big movies, has usually tended to take on more heroic, friendly roles, so we’re fascinated to see what he does with the psychopathic Hansen.

    Given the big names attached both in front and behind the camera, you might not be surprised to learn that Netflix isn’t just aiming to push this out on its servers – ‘The Gray Man’ will be released in theaters on July 15th, ahead of its launch on the streaming service on July 22nd.

    The week-long release potentially points to the company seeing this as an awards contender, even if action titles tend to feature more in the technical categories.

    Still, what we want to see now is the trailer, to get more of a taste of the action and drama on display.

    Ana de Armas in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ana de Armas in ‘The Gray Man.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
    Ryan Gosling in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.
    Rege-Jean Page in 'The Gray Man.'
    Rege-Jean Page in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.
    Ryan Gosling in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022. © 2022 Netflix, Inc.
    Ryan Gosling in 'The Gray Man.'
    Ryan Gosling in ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.
    Chris Evans, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo on the set of 'The Gray Man.'
    (L to R) Chris Evans, Anthony Russo (Director-Producer), Joe Russo (Director-Producer-Writer) on the set of ‘The Gray Man.’ Photo: Paul Abell/Netflix © 2022.
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  • Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden Talk ‘Slow Horses’

    Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden
    Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden in “Slow Horses,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

    Premiering on Apple TV+ beginning April 1st is the new spy series ‘Slow Horses,’ which is based on author Mick Herron’s novel of the same name.

    The series follows British MI5 agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), who after a botched mission is exiled to Slough House, which is an administrative purgatory for service agents. Cartwright and his fellow former agents now perform boring administrative tasks and work for the miserable Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who expects everyone to quit out of frustration.

    But soon the former agents of Slough House, or Slow Horses as they’ve been nicknamed, become entangled in a dangerous mission at London’s Regent’s Park. In addition to Lowden and Oldman, the cast also includes Olivia Cooke, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jonathan Pryce.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden about their work on ‘Slow Horses.

    You can read our full interview with Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden below, or watch a video of our interviews with Oldman, Lowden, Olivia Cooke, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jonathan Pryce in the player above.

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    Moviefone: To begin with, Gary can you talk about your approach to taking this character from the page to the screen?

    Gary Oldman: Well, I was very lucky because Jackson Lamb is really created, he’s from the imagination of Mick Herron, who is the writer of the books that the series is based on. He created this world and this incredible character, and it was all there. It was all pretty much on the page. All I had to do was just follow all the signposts.

    I knew immediately when I read the book and read the scripts, I just thought I could have a lot of fun playing Jackson. I don’t particularly like him, but I do like playing him and his interaction with the characters in the piece. But a lot of the work, I must say, was done for me in the writing, because it’s very, very good writing.

    MF: Finally, Jack can you talk about your character’s journey and how he feels about being sent to Slough House?

    Jack Lowden: He goes there because he is pushed into making a mistake, given the wrong information, which only adds to his constant frustration. The fact is that he’s just in this one big, bad mood for all six episodes. So, it’s definitely not his fault. I think we were talking earlier about the fact that Jackson, his boss, knows that because he knows everything and chooses to sort of beat him with it.

    I think his career, when we meet him is probably going brilliantly well. I think it’s probably going very well. I think where he then ends up is just not something that he could foresee at all. Then it all just comes crumbling down through no fault of his own.

    Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden in car
    Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden in “Slow Horses,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

  • ‘All the Old Knives’ Trailer

    Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton
    (L to R) Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton in Prime Video’s ‘All the Old Knives.’

    Digging through past relationships can be a thorny, emotional prospect in the best of circumstances. But when you’re part of the CIA, and the romance is intertwined with a mission gone tragically, treacherously wrong? Well, that’s surely enough to buy a therapist a new house.

    No therapy is seemingly involved in the story for ‘All the Old Knives’, which has its first trailer online. Not least because the main characters – Chris Pine’s Henry Pelham and Thandiwe Newton’s Celia Harrison – are, or in her case, were, intelligence operatives who can’t really go spilling their secrets to some stranger, no matter how many certificates they have on their wall or how much confidentiality they promise.

    The new thriller, directed by ‘Borg/McEnroe’s Janus Metz, adapts Olen Steinhauer’s 2015 novel. And, unusually, the writer himself worked up the script. Though he does have some experience – he created successful CIA series ‘Berlin Station’.

    ‘All the Old Knives’ finds him back in espionage territory, as the story follows what happens when the CIA discovers that one of its agents leaked information that cost more than 100 people their lives during a particularly tricky hostage situation on a plane six years previously in Vienna.

    Veteran operative Pelham is assigned to root out the mole from among his former officemates at the agency’s Vienna station. His investigation takes him from Austria to England to California, where he is reunited with his one-time colleague and ex-lover Harrison.

    The pair are forced to blur the lines between profession and passion in a tale of global espionage, moral ambiguity, and deadly betrayal. And not everyone will leave the reunion alive…

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    This latest spy outing for Pine (who starred as Jack Ryan in 2014) also has the actor working as an executive producer. Also in the cast are Jonathan Pryce (having quite the spy moment between this and his role as a retired MI5 agent in Apple TV+’s upcoming ‘Slow Horses’ series), and Laurence Fishburne, who has no little experience in on-screen espionage with the likes of ‘Five Fingers’ and ‘Bad Company’.

    And that’s not all, as the ensemble also includes Gala Gordon, Corey Johnson, Colin Stinton and Ahd Kamel.

    There’s a definite John le Carré feel to this one, with characters trying to give up the life while others are still deep within it. That’s not surprising, since Steinhauer’s novels have been favorably compared to the spy master’s work.

    Yet despite a seemingly compelling story, the movie has had some issues on its journey to the screen: Kate Winslet and Idris Elba were at one point seriously considering the lead roles, with Neil Burger attached to direct before they all moved on to other things. And Michelle Williams was starring opposite Pine until development delays meant she didn’t have time on her schedule.

    You’ll be able to watch ‘All the Old Knives’ on limited theatrical release and via Prime Video on April 8.

    Poster
    (L to R) Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Laurence Fishburne, and Jonathan Pryce in Prime Video’s ‘All the Old Knives.’
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  • Casting News: ‘Heart of Stone’ and Groucho Marx Biopic

    Jamie Dornan has been cast in ‘Heart of Stone'
    Jamie Dornan has been cast in ‘Heart of Stone’

    Two movies announced some interesting casting today, so here is our roundup…

    HEART OF STONE

    First up, Deadline is reporting that ‘Belfast’s Jamie Dornan is joining ‘Wonder Woman’ star Gal Gadot in new spy movie ‘Heart of Stone’.

    Tom Harper, who last made ‘The Aeronauts’ for Amazon, is in the director’s chair for the espionage thriller, which is filming now. The script comes from ‘The Old Guard’s Greg Rucker and Allison Schroeder, who wrote films including ‘Hidden Figures’ and ‘Frozen II’.

    Fittingly, given that it’s a spy movie, the plot hasn’t been announced, so feel free to guess what happens or how something called heart of stone factors in. Could they mean a jewel? Some lethal item that people are searching for? Perhaps Gadot’s character is a steely agent with little time for feelings.

    Whatever it turns out to be, the movie is looking to be a female-led take on films such as ‘Mission: Impossible’, which could be fun.

    Gadot needs little introduction thanks to her role as the DC superhero, but she’s also been widely seen recently in Netflix‘s ‘Red Notice’, which has two sequels already in the works.

    Dornan has long since shrugged off the, er, chains of the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ franchise and has been working steadily on a variety of movies and TV shows.

    In addition to Kenneth Branagh’s awards-buzzed coming-of-age story, he’s been seen in ‘Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar’ and as a voice in ‘Trolls World Tour’. He’ll next be seen on TV screens in upcoming drama ‘The Tourist’, arriving on HBO Max on March 3rd.

    Gal Gadot in 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice'
    Gal Gadot in ‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’

    RAISED EYEBROWS

    In a completely different tone, new biopic ‘Raised Eyebrows’ will see Geoffrey Rush taking on the unenviable challenge of playing comedy legend Groucho Marx. He’ll be joined by Sienna Miller and ‘Moonfall’s Charlie Plummer in the cast.

    Groucho, of course, was the leading light of iconic comedy trio the Marx Brothers, who brought their trademark blend of zingers and slapstick to stages and screens between 1905 and 1949. They made some classic comedy movies, including ‘Duck Soup’ and ‘A Night at the Opera’.

    ‘Raised Eyebrows’, though, won’t chronicle that heyday. Instead, it’s set between 1973-1977 and follows Steve (Plummer) as he enters Groucho Marx’s house for his dream job of working for the aging, frail comedian, under the watchful eye of Erin Fleming (Miller), who had taken over the Marx brother’s personal and professional life.

    Marx and Fleming had a controversial relationship in his twilight years, and she was his devoted girlfriend-turned-manager. The power struggles result in a comedy of horrors in which obsession, love, celebrity, mental illness, family, and Hollywood are taken to task and brought to a boil in an anarchic way that could only be described as “Grouchian.”

    Oren Moverman, who has made movies including ‘The Messenger’ and HBO’s ‘Bad Education’ will direct from a script he co-wrote with Steve Stoliar, whose memoir ‘Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House’ is the basis for the film.

    “It’s a pleasure and an honor and a responsibility and probably something else to work with this amazing cast on a story I hope will reintroduce the genius of Groucho Marx in a new, provocative, entertaining way all these years later,” Moverman tells Deadline. “Steve Stoliar has given the world incredible insight into a bygone era. Done right, we will screw it up royally.”

    Rush, of course, is no stranger to playing real people – he won an Oscar for his role as troubled, genius pianist David Helfgott in 1996’s ‘Shine’ and was nominated as Best Supporting actor for 2010’s ‘The King’s Speech’. With luck, he could be back on nomination lists for Groucho.

    Geoffrey Rush in 1996's 'Shine'
    Geoffrey Rush in 1996’s ‘Shine’
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