Over the past several years Netflix has teamed up with some of the biggest names in Hollywood from A-list stars such as Will Smith, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, and Ben Affleck. With their latest blockbuster Red Notice, Netflix has potentially their biggest blockbuster to date. With a budget of around $200 million, a director who has done his fair share of actioners and comedies, three of the biggest stars in Hollywood in Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Reynolds, as well as franchise potential; Red Notice has the potential to be Netflix’s own Fast & Furious type franchise.
The film was initially unveiled back in February 2018, with Universal and Legendary landing the film in a heated bidding war. This would have been director Rawson Marshall Thurber and Johnson’s third collaboration with the studios after the Die Hard-like film Skyscraper. Eventually, Netflix went on to acquire the film from Universal after becoming hesitant about the film’s rising budget. Red Notice is likely to rake in lots of viewers when it debuts the streamer, here’s everything we know so far about the action-comedy.
Here’s The First Trailer For Red Notice
If you aren’t already sold on Red Notice, here’s the teaser trailer that was released in early September which gives the audience just a glimpse at some of the high-octane hijinks that Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot get themselves into.
What Will Red Notice Be About?
The plot of Red Notice follows agent John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), the FBI’s top profiler, who is forced to make an unholy alliance with career criminal Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) to track down the master international art thief Sarah Black (Gal Gadot) before she pulls off the ultimate heist of the century.
The film promises lots of exotic and grand locations for the action set pieces including Rome and Sardina in Italy as well as plenty of fist fights, car chases, and explosions.The huge scope that the film is presenting makes it seem like something one would typically expect to see in a movie theater, but with the rise of streaming, it’s just the new normal. There’s also plenty of laughs and it definitely seems like the lead trio will channel similar energy to the action-comedies that populated the screen in the 90s by not taking itself all too seriously.
Who Will Star In Red Notice?
As previously stated Red Notice will star three of the biggest stars in Hollywood: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. Johnson is arguably one of the few movie stars left in the business, who can put butts in seats with his name alone. For quite a while Johnson was one of the stars that didn’t seem to be making the jump to streaming, but back in October 2018 it was announced that he would be making his streaming debut with a film titled John Henry and The Statesmen which would be helmed by his Jumanji director Jake Kasdan, but there has been no further movement on the project since it’s initial announcement. Johnson has also signed on to another film at the streamer which would reteam him with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt in the superhero romcom Ball and Chain which will be written by Academy Award nominee Emily V. Gordon, known for co-writing the hit film The Big Sick alongside her husband Kumail Nanjiani. Johnson also has another film in the works at rival steamer Amazon Prime Video, the Christmas themed action comedy Red One, where it’s rumored he’ll be playing the role of Santa Claus.
Reynolds has worked with Netflix before when he headlined the Michael Bay-directed action film 6 Underground, back in 2019. Despite the fact that his theatrically released films have proven to do quite well, Reynolds has a handful of projects in the works at Netflix. Reynolds will be reteaming with his Free Guy director Shawn Levy with the time-travel film The Adam Project which is due out early next year and will find him starring alongside Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldana, and Catherine Keener. Reynolds has also signed on to star and produce in a live-action film based around the popular 80s arcade game Dragon’s Lair. Reynolds has also signed on to star in the comedy Upstate for the streaming giant which he’ll also co-write with John August. Reynolds is currently filming the Christmas Carol-inspired musical Spirited which is being directed by Sean Anders and will also star Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer and will debut on rival streamer Apple TV+.
As for Gadot, this’ll be technically her third streaming film if one were to include Wonder Woman 1984 and Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but it will be her first project with Netflix. Gadot is also working with the streamer on the spy flick Heart Of Stone which will be directed by Tom Harper known for directing the underrated indie film Wild Rose as well as the Felicity Jones-Eddie Redmayne reteam The Aeronauts. Gadot is also working with rival streamer Apple TV+ for a prestige limited series where she will play classic Hollywood actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr from co-creator of The Affair Sarah Treem.
Other than the three A-list leads, the film will also star character actor Chris Diamantopoulos and The Umbrella Academy season 2 breakout star Ritu Arya, who will have supporting roles in the film.
Johnson and Gadot had already worked together before within the Fast and Furious franchise in the series’ sixth entry. While Johnson and Reynolds have been teasing a collaboration since Reynolds made a surprise cameo in the Fast and Furious spin-off Hobbs & Shaw, as well as Johnson’s voiceover cameo in Reynold’s recent hit Free Guy.
When Did Red Notice Film?
Filming was initially set to begin in the Spring of 2019, after Johnson wrapped filming Jumanji: The Next Level, but it was delayed indefinitely after the film was sold off to Netflix. Once at Netflix, it wasn’t until January 2020 when the filming officially began, but of course like every other film and television production, filming halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. It was not until September 2020 when filming resumed. Despite the film’s European setting, most of the movie was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, but additional photography was also done in Italy, in the city of Rome and the island of Sardinia.
Thurber and Johnson collaborated with several of their Skyscraper team-members, such as composer Steve Jablonsky and editor Michael L. Sale. Serving as cinematographer on the project is Markus Förderer who has occasionally worked with Roland Emmerich on films such as Independence Day: Resurgence and the controversial Stonewall.
What Is The Release Date For Red Notice?
Back when the film was being set up at Universal and Legendary, the film had a theatrical release of June 12, 2020, which if one were to look back at what was going on at that time, that release date obviously wouldn’t have worked out. Universal and Legendary then pushed back the film five months for a November 13, 2020 release date. The film was obviously then removed from the schedule when Netflix took over. The film will now release on November 12, 2021, exactly one year after the date Universal had initially pegged it for. So it seems that the Pandemic didn’t have much of an effect on the film’s release.
It’s interesting to note that the streamer isn’t giving the film their marquee Christmas release, as it has become commonplace for the streamer to release their big blockbusters during that time. Back in 2017 they released the David Ayer-directed Will Smith vehicle Bright, in 2018 it was the hugely successful sci-fi horror pic Bird Box starring Sandra Bullock and directed by Susanne Bier, in 2019 it was the Michael Bay helmed 6 Underground starring Reynolds, and in 2020 it was the Meryl Streep musical The Prom from Ryan Murphy. Many would have figured Red Notice would take the coveted release date, but instead it’s Adam McKay’s star-filled political satire Don’t Look Up, taking the release date.
Will There Be a Red Notice 2?
Never say never! Netflix always has the hunger to start their own blockbuster franchises. With sequels to Bright, Bird Box, Extraction, The Old Guard, Enola Holmes and Murder Mystery all in development as well as buying the rights to the highly anticipated sequels to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, the streamer is not one to turn down a sequel.
Netflix clearly sees franchise potential with the film, but there has been no word on a sequel being in development quite yet. In addition the lead three actors as well as the director have plenty on their plate yet to come. Thurber will be directing another blockbuster for Netflix with an adaptation of the hit video game The Division which will star Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain. As for Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot, the three A-listers have plenty of already announced films on the docket, so a sequel may be a long ways off.