Before the world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival last month, Universal debuted the Atomic Blonde trailer, which gave fans their first look at Charlize Theron as a deadly British assassin. The buzz swirling around this film has certainly grown since then, with the studio releasing the second trailer today, along with a new poster and photos, with even more intense action that could make this action-thriller one of this summer's sleeper hits. Oscar winner Charlize Theron explodes into summer in Atomic Blonde, a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6's most lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution and double-crossing hives of traitors.
The crown jewel of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies. A blistering blend of sleek action, gritty sexuality and dazzling style, Atomic Blonde is directed by David Leitch, who made his directorial debut on the 2014 cult hit John Wick, alongside Chad Stahelski, and he also recently signed on to direct the upcoming Deadpool 2.
The supporting cast includes John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella and Toby Jones. The film is based on the Oni Press graphic novel The Coldest City, by Antony Johnston & illustrator Sam Hart, with Kurt Johnstad (300) writing the adapted screenplay. Way back in 2015, we reported that both John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch had come aboard to direct this project together, when it was known as the graphic novel title The Coldest City. With John Wick: Chapter Two also in the works at that time, the filmmakers decided to separate for the time-being, with Chad Stahelski directing John Wick 2, and David Leitch taking Atomic Blonde.
Charlize Theron also serves as a producer alongside Beth Kono, A.J. Dix, Kelly McCormick, Eric Gitter, Peter Schwerin. Executive producers are Nick Meyer, Marc Schaberg, Joe Nozemack, Steven V. Scavelli, Ethan Smith, David Guillod and screenwriter Kurt Johnstad. Universal Pictures has set a July 28 release date for Atomic Blonde, which puts it up against Sony's The Emoji Movie and Paramount Vantage's documentary An Inconvenient Sequel. It also falls between Dunkirk, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Girl Trip on July 21, and the long-awaited The Dark Tower on August 4.
This could very well be quite a big year for Charlize Theron, who also stars as the main villain Cipher in this weekend's The Fate of the Furious, which is expected to debut with record-breaking numbers when it arrives in theaters April 14. While Atomic Blonde isn't a massive action franchise like the Fast & Furious series, a strong showing this summer among a crowded field could certainly be the start of an action-packed franchise along the same lines of John Wick, which already has a third movie in development. While we wait for more on Atomic Blonde, take a look at the trailer, poster and new photos below.
