Ryan Gosling is known for disappearing into roles, whether he’s playing one of history’s most recognizable icons (Neil Armstrong in First Man) or a guy in a committed relationship with his blow-up doll (Lars and the Real Girl). But he’s taking that talent to a new level in spy thriller The Gray Man, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. As Court Gentry, a former convict recruited by the CIA to carry out unauthorized assassinations, Gosling doesn’t just disappear; technically, he doesn’t exist at all.
Code-named Sierra Six, Gentry is what’s known in the spy biz as a “Gray Man” — or as Agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) bluntly puts it in a new trailer, “Reckless mystery men you guys send in when you can’t officially send anyone else.”
But who do you send in to deal with The Gray Man? Enter Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a rebellious and vicious former operative hired to retrieve some sensitive information in Gentry’s possession. Unlike his shadowy target, Lloyd thrives on showy extravagance. To quote the man himself, “If you want to make an omelet, you gotta kill some people.” Get ready for explosions, mayhem, and some pretty spectacular facial hair as the two duke it out in a global manhunt of wits and strength.
Based on Mark Greaney’s novel series of the same name, The Gray Man is an homage to the 70s thrillers the Russo brothers loved growing up. “Our father was a big fan of those so we had a steady diet of them and an emotional connection to them,” Joe Russo tells Netflix. “We’re always chasing the sort of relentless excitement that we got from the first time we watched The French Connection — that energy, that compulsion, and the compressed time frame that makes you sit on the edge of your seat while you’re watching the story unfold. The Gray Man has a lot of these qualities.”
As for the all-star cast, which includes Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters and Alfre Woodard, it’s not just for show. “Casting is critical in any project,” Anthony Russo tells Netflix. “We wanted it grounded in psychological realism. As heightened as the characters are, you want actors that are going to bring some truthfulness to it. We couldn’t be more fortunate to work with the cast that we got on this one, and it's important because it's a dense world filled with a lot of unique characters. We needed a cast at this level to pull off the vision for the world we were creating.”
Check out the trailer below — come July 22, you may want to watch your back.
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