The Gray Man premieres on July 22. This is the most expensive movie Netflix has ever made, directed by the Russo brothers, with two major stars, Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, playing adversaries, and featuring a supporting cast that includes Ana de Armas, Alfre Woodard, and Regé-Jean Page. All of them were at the first screening of The Gray Man yesterday in LA followed by a Q&A. 

 

Early reaction, at least from what I’ve seen, is that the movie delivers on the action set pieces, a perfect summer jam. Whether or not, as Sarah has pointed out, it will make a lasting impact remains to be seen because it’s true that Netflix movies don’t stay in our consciousness. With the exception of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before in my consciousness, lol. But not really. I remember that movie wayyyy more than whatever Ryan Reynolds, The Rock, Hemsworth movie that Netflix has released with much bigger budgets. 

Anyway, back to Ryan and Chris and the staying power of The Gray Man – with that kind of Netflix investment and ambition they obviously need as much hype as possible using all possible angles. Everyone and everything is expected to pitch in…including Ryan and Chris’s biceps. 

 

Like, we’ll talk more about the movie when there’s more to say because right now none of us here have seen it so the focus really is on the promotion and, well, much of the promotion involves these two going head to head and kicking the sh-t out of each other and you know how it works now in the culture – they’re famous, they’re hot, they have great bodies… this is the selling feature. Tight shirts only on this press tour. And if they want to get wet, that works too.