Ryan Gosling fades in and out of existence in the latest poster for the upcoming Netflix action movie, The Gray Man. Released courtesy of Netflix Film, The Gray Man will find Ryan Gosling going toe-to-toe with fellow A-lister and Marvel star Chris Evans, with the pair promising to bring something powerful to this tale of warring spies.
The latest poster for The Gray Man puts Ryan Gosling at its center, with the actor’s recognizable visage gradually evaporating and disappearing into nothingness. Rather than literally possessing the ability to transform into smoke however, the image is likely more metaphorical in nature, teasing the espionage skills of Gosling’s titular spy and his affinity for being undetectable.
Due for release on Netflix, The Gray Man is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, and centers on Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), the CIA's most skilled mercenary whose true identity is known to none, who accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets. Soon, he finds himself pursued by Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a psychopathic former colleague, who puts a bounty on his head, setting off a global manhunt by international assassins.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay the latter co-wrote with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, The Gray Man marks Netflix’s most expensive movie ever made thanks to its production budget of $200 million. And has the cast to match. With the one-punch of Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans at its center, The Gray Man will also feature a stellar supporting cast, including Ana de Armas as Dani Miranda, Jessica Henwick as Suzanne Brewer, Regé-Jean Page as Denny Carmichael, Alfre Woodard as Margaret Cahill, and Billy Bob Thornton as Donald Fitzroy.
Netflix Has Big Plans for The Gray Man
Such a huge budget is being spent with intention, as Netflix plans to launch a new action franchise off the back of The Gray Man. Plans for several continuations following the release of the first outing have already begun. A prequel is now being planned, and will follow the explosive adventures of Chris Evans’ character, Lloyd Hansen, the psychopathic former colleague of Gentry who will attempt to hunt him down in The Gray Man. The prequel is reportedly being written by Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.
Work on a straight-up sequel, The Gray Man 2, is also reportedly underway, with both the follow-up and the prequel already “at the very early stage.”
Spawning a franchise has been the plan of The Russo Brothers from the very beginning, with the Avengers: Endgame directors hoping to build a whole new world of spies. “We never want to jinx it,” Joe Russo said recently. “But we’re already thinking through where it goes from here. We like to build out worlds, and we would rather gamble on the upside and put the energy and time in to build out that universe prior to the release, so that the ideas are more germane and organic. That’s how you build out a more complex mosaic narrative.”
The Gray Man is set for a limited release on July 15, 2022, followed by its release on Netflix on July 22, 2022.
