Netflix are cementing plans for The Gray Man to be a major franchise as they have announced that a sequel and a spinoff film are in development.

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The official synopsis for the film is as follows:

The Gray Man is CIA operative Court Gentry, aka, Sierra Six. Plucked from a federal penitentiary and recruited by his handler, Donald Fitzroy, Gentry was once a highly-skilled, Agency sanctioned merchant of death. But now the tables have turned and Six is the target, hunted across the globe by Lloyd Hansen, a former cohort at the CIA, who will stop at nothing to take him out. Agent Dani Miranda has his back. He’ll need it.

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The film, based on the novel series by Mark Greaney, debuted over the weekend on the streaming service and has debuted as the number 1 film in 92 countries. While it has got mixed reviews from critics (48% rating), it has earned a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Ryan Gosling will be returning to star as Sierra Six for the sequel, with Joe and Anthony Russo returning to direct, as well as produce alongside Joe Roth and Jeffrey Kirschenbaum for Roth Kirschenbaum Films. Stephen McFeely, who co-adapted the screenplay for The Gray Man, will be returning to write for the sequel.

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The spinoff, which Netflix have kept the logline under wraps, is being written by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese.

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The Russo Brothers released a statement saying:

The audience reaction to The Gray Man has been nothing short of phenomenal. We are so appreciative of the enthusiasm that fans across the world have had for this film. With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for the Gray Man to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan, as well as a second script that we’re excited to talk about soon.

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Scott Stuber, Head of Global Film, released a statement saying:

With The Gray Man, the Russo’s delivered an edge-of-your-seat spectacle that audiences around the world are loving. We’re excited to continue to partner with them and the team at AGBO as they build out The Gray Man universe.

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While I wasn’t overly fond of The Gray Man (you can read my review here), there is definitely potential for this to become a major franchise for Netflix. Oddly enough I’m more curious about the prospect of what the sequel is about. Is it focused in the beginnings of the Sierra project? Will it focus on the agency? Or will it focus on another assassin within the universe (i.e. Dhanush’s ‘Lone Wolf’).

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The Gray Man stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton, Julia Butters, Alfre Woodard, Dhanush, Wagner Moura, Eme Ikwuakor, Robert Kazinsky, DeObia Oparei, Callan Mulvey and Shea Whigham.