The Gray Man – out this week on Netflix – finds the Russo Brothers back in mega-budget cinema after a sprawling stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since directing Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo have immersed themselves in experimental drama and action films, first with Extraction on Netflix, then Tom Holland-starring Cherry on AppleTV+. The Gray Man aims to deliver a more grounded story with blockbuster action elements. Much like their previous Apple TV+ entry, The Gray Man is an adapted story, based on a 2009 book of the same name by Mark Greaney.
A film adaptation for The Gray Man was originally planned for 2011, starring James Gray (Ad Astra) set to direct Brad Pitt as the main man. The talks ultimately broke down in October 2015, after which the idea was mooted once again when the Russo brothers opted to lead it. The film reunites Blade Runner 2049 stars – Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas – as they face off against Chris Evans, aka the former Captain America.
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Another notable highlight would be the inclusion of Indian actor, Dhanush, who plays one of the main antagonists of The Gray Man. In a conversation with The Crew Reviews, author Greaney admitted to being unfamiliar with Dhanush’s work. “It’s fascinating to me that they cast an Indian actor, Dhanush, who I don’t know. I guess he’s playing one of the kill team leaders who is after Court Gentry.
In an interview, the Russo Brothers revealed themselves to be longtime fans of Mark Greaney’s writing – or more specifically, the research and attention to detail. They said, “It took nine years to make this movie because of our busy schedule. We were impressed with Mark Greaney’s writing and the amount of research he does. We are always on the lookout for interesting developments next to a genre. Inspired by the 70s thrillers we grew up with, The Gray Man encompasses themes of very complex politics and rebellion against the system, and we reflected on our own fears of the world.
With that, here’s everything you need to know about The Gray Man, including release date and time, cast, trailers, reviews, and more.
The Gray Man release date and time in India
The Gray Man is currently playing in select theaters in the United States, having premiered on July 15, and will soon be heading to Netflix. The film is set to release on Friday, July 22 at 12:30 p.m. IST / 12 p.m. PT on Netflix in India and globally.
The cast of The Gray Man
Gosling is the lead actor in the upcoming Russo Brothers joint, moving away from its traditional mostly silent protagonist to take on an action-oriented role. As Courtland Gentry, a trained CIA agent codenamed Sierra Six, Gosling accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets that spark a global manhunt by international assassins. His character turns out to be arrogant, with a satirical and self-deprecating humor that is revealed in moments of calm.
Ryan Gosling as Courtland Gentry in Netflix’s The Gray Man
Photo credit: Netflix
Evans is billed second on the list as Lloyd Hansen, a psychopathic former colleague who puts a bounty on Six’s head to prevent any confidential leaks. A key feature would be his black mustache, reminiscent of a decorated U.S. Army man, which is joked by Gosling as a “trash stache” in The Gray Man trailer.
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De Armas is seen on screen alongside Chris Evans for the first time since Knives Out in 2018. As an unclear ally of Gosling’s Gentry, Agent Dani Miranda operates outside of the Sierra organization and is considered as a volatile asset, as deadly as Gentry. It should be noted that Dani is a completely original character, created for the sake of this movie. However, his personality traits can be seen sprinkled throughout other characters in the novel.
Régé-Jean Page — on Bridgerton fame – plays another major threat in Gentry’s path as Denny Carmichael, the corrupt CIA boss who runs the black ops division for his own benefit. In an attempt to prevent any private dealings from reaching the public eye, Denny launches a global manhunt and will stop at nothing. In an interview, Regé said much of the prep work was mental, as Denny’s portrayal was that of a manipulator. “We pretty much send in Ryan and Chris to get going, while we sit back ourselves and watch the chaos unfold.”
The Gray Man would be Jessica Henwick’s first major film appearance since The Matrix Resurrections. Suzzane Brewer is Denny’s partner in crime, coming up with strategies to take down Gentry and unleashing skilled assassins after him. Even for Henwick, much of the prep work involved talking to professionals in the field. “I have almost no action in there, which was amazing. For the preparation, we had the chance to speak to someone from the CIA, and he answered all the questions I asked him, and I asked a lot about it,” Henwick said in a recent interview.
Ana de Armas as Agent Dani Miranda in Netflix’s The Gray Man
Photo credit: Netflix
Many Indian households would tune in to see Dhanush, who is making his Hollywood debut with The Gray Man. With virtually no dialogue, Avik San is one of the main assassins after Gentry’s head, and his role is mostly contained in the fight scene we see in the trailer. Asked about working with the Russo Brothers, Dhanush said, “I felt I had a responsibility, now that the West is looking at India’s talent, I felt I had to deliver for them to come looking for more talent from here, that was the only thing I had in mind. Working with the Russo Brothers has been a really easy and smooth process.
Synopsis of The Gray Man
Here is the official synopsis of Netflix’s The Gray Man:
The gray man is CIA agent Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling), aka Sierra Six. Snatched from a federal penitentiary and recruited by his master, Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton), Gentry was once a highly skilled, Agency-sanctioned death dealer. But now the tables have turned and Six is the target, stalked across the world by ex-CIA Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), who will stop at nothing to eliminate him. Agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) has his back. He will need it.
The Gray Man trailer
The first teaser for The Gray Man was revealed on February 3, as part of a preview reel, highlighting a key action sequence involving Ryan Gosling fist-fighting atop a tram as he was being shot. The promotion was part of Netflix’s revamped schedule, which brings new movies to the platform every week.
Then, on May 24, Netflix unveiled the official trailer for the same, which touched on the plot beats, introduced the main characters, and the general chemistry around them. We also took a closer look at Ana de Armas’ character, Agent Dani Miranda, who seems to share similar interests with Gentry, despite working independently.
In June, the studio released a short clip, featuring a fight between Gentry and Hansen, as tall structures collapse around them – giving rise to Chris Evans’ “trash stache” jokes.
Netflix India’s YouTube channel, meanwhile, posted a clip earlier this week, teasing the fight scene involving Dhanush, Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas.
The Gray Man’s Budget, box office
The production budget for The Gray Man was found to be $200 million (about Rs. 1,598 crore), making it the most expensive Netflix movie. The budget allowed filming in several locations around the world, including the United States, France, the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan and Georgia. During a recent interaction, the Russo Brothers revealed that the streetcar scene from the first teaser took an entire month to shoot, costing around $40 million (roughly Rs. 319 crore).
Netflix doesn’t release box office numbers, so we have to rely on trade estimates. The Gray Man was released in 450 theaters in the United States and Canada for its limited schedule – a far cry from the Russo Brothers’ Marvel affair. By Deadline, The Gray Man grossed around $200,000 (roughly Rs. 1.6 crore) in its opening weekend.
The Gray Man review
The first reviews for The Gray Man went live late last week, leading up to the theatrical release in the United States. As of this writing, the Russo Brothers film holds a 52% review score on aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 110 reviews. On Metacritic, The Gray Man scored 50 points on average in critical reviews, based on 43 reviews.
The Gadgets 360 review of The Gray Man will be released on Friday, July 22 – the same day as the film’s worldwide release on Netflix.
The Gray Man 2?
The original Gray Man series has 12 books in total, providing enough content for the Russo Brothers to explore. During a conversation with Empire Magazine, the duo confirmed their plans to expand the film and possibly turn it into a franchise. “We are already thinking about where things will go from here. We like to build worlds, and we prefer to bet on the positive side and put the energy and the time to build this universe before the release, so that the ideas are more relevant and organic. That’s how you build a more complex mosaic narrative,” Joe said.
“The goal is to make Gray Man 2. Our appetite is voracious and the intention is always to do more than we can,” Joe added. While plans for a sequel are in the works with Gosling returning, a Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) prequel is also in the works, according to Empire, which will be written by dead Pool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wenick.
The Gray Man Poster
Here is the official poster of Netflix’s The Gray Man:
Gray Man poster starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans
Photo credit: Netflix
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