The Gray Man News & Updates: Everything We Know | Screen Rant
Netflix's The Gray Man is one of 2022's more anticipated releases. Here's everything we know about its cast, story, and potential release date.
As Netflix’s most expensive film to date, The Gray Man has to manage huge expectations, but here's what we know so far about its story and talented cast. Based on Mark Greaney’s 2009 debut novel of the same name, The Gray Man employs Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo, alongside the writers of the Captain America movie trilogy, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The action thriller’s cast is also promising, as it features some of the most bankable stars of Hollywood today. While The Gray Man’s full trailer is yet to be released, the first few bits of footage were seen in Netflix's 2022 movie preview trailer.
Before it became one of 2022’s most-anticipated releases, The Gray Man encountered several obstacles in its production journey. It was originally planned as a New Regency movie, under the direction of James Gray (Ad Astra). In 2011, Brad Pitt was also set to star, but the project failed to materialize and eventually fell apart. When The Gray Man was picked up by Sony Pictures in 2015, Charlize Theron was supposedly Pitt’s replacement, with the Russo brothers’ screenplay creating a gender-swapped version of the film. The decision was made after Theron’s performance as Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. However, production was put on hold again, and it was only in 2020 that Netflix announced its intention to pursue the film.
Since The Gray Man involves blockbuster directors and actors, Netflix has fully invested in the film. The action-thriller has a reported budget of $200 million, as the streaming giant envisions it to be the beginning of a “James Bond-level” cinematic franchise, with the Russos comparing it to The Winter Soldier. Here's everything else that's known about The Gray Man so far.
The Gray Man has one of the more exciting ensemble casts of any 2022 movie. Ryan Gosling, who joined Warner Bros.’ Barbie as Ken last fall, plays Court Gentry, a highly-trained CIA operative being chased by his former colleague Lloyd Hansen, portrayed by Chris Evans. The two are joined by Knives Out and No Time to Die’s breakout star Ana de Armas and Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page. Rounding out the stellar cast are Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist, The Matrix Resurrections), Wagner Moura (Narcos), Billy Bob Thornton (Armageddon), Alfre Woodard (Luke Cage), Julia Butters (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Eme Ikwuakor (On My Block), and Scott Haze (Child of God).
The Gray Man revolves around Gentry, who discovers his agency’s incriminating secrets. Worse, he is being targeted by international assassins as Hansen places a bounty on his head. In a December 2021 interview, Joe Russo compared the dynamic between Gosling and Evans to that of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat, saying, "This is an intense action film. Very, very entertaining performances from both actors, and they're absolutely pitted against each other in the movie. And it's a deliciously sociopathic turn for Chris Evans as the villain." He went on to praise the chemistry between Gosling and Evans. Should The Gray Man remain faithful to its source material, the former CIA agents will travel across Europe as they pursue a similar goal. It has been reported that the movie filmed scenes in Prague, France, and the Czech Republic, so it's a globetrotter, indeed.
Filming for The Gray Man began in March 2021 and wrapped after four months. In December 2021, Joe Russo revealed that they were already editing the movie, but because of the visual effects and scoring required, it would only be completed by February 2022 at the earliest. Although Netflix has not yet announced an official release date, Russo has given a release window for The Gray Man. Currently, the film is slated for release for the summer of 2022, but exactly when hasn't yet been confirmed.
To welcome a new year of fresh content, Netflix teased its 28 upcoming 2022 movies. While it's not a trailer for The Gray Man, but an overall sizzle reel, Gosling is still shown multiple times, with some scenes lifted directly from the movie and the others shot specifically for the promotional video. He is seen engaging in a fight atop a train, and a brief interaction between him and Evans’ character discloses the dynamic of their relationship. A glimpse of de Armas and Page in The Gray Man is also included in the footage.