Los Angeles: Hollywood stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans are set to feature in spy thriller "The Gray Man" with "Avengers: Endgame" helmers Anthony Russo and Joe Russo attached to direct the film for Netflix. The movie is based on Mark Greaney's 2009 novel of the same name and revolves around freelance assassin and former CIA operative Court Gentry (Gosling).
It follows Gentry as he is hunted across the world by Lloyd Hansen (Evans), a former member of Gentry's CIA team. According to Deadline Netflix aims is to create a new franchise with a James Bond level of scale and a budget upward of USD 200 million.
The Russo Brothers will be producing the project through their AGBO banner. Joe Russo wrote the script, with "Endgame" screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely polishing the final draft.
"The movie is a real mano a mano between those two great actors who represent two different versions of the CIA, in what it can be, and what it can do. For those who were fans of 'Captain America: Winter Soldier', this is us moving into that territory in more of a real-world setting. That's what this movie really means for us," Anthony Ruso said.
Joe Russo said that makers they are aiming to create an experience which is at par with any theatrical. "The idea is to create a franchise and build out a whole universe, with Ryan at the center of it. We have all committed to the first movie, and that's got to be great to get us to the second movie. These are master assassins, and Gosling's character gets burned by the CIA and Evans' character has to hunt him down," he added.
Evans, who has previously worked with the director duo in "Captain America: Winter Soldier", "Captain America: Civil War", "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame", said he is excited about collaborating with them again. "Been excited about this one for a while! Round 5 with @therussobrothers," the Captain America star wrote on Instagram.
AGBO's Mike Larocca, along with Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum for Roth Kirschenbaum, are also on board as producers. The makers are planning to start the filming in January in Los Angeles while international locations are still being finalised.
