Wowzers!Ryan Reynoldshas signed on to joinDwayne JohnsonandGal GadotinRawson Marshall Thurber’s international action movieRed Notice, which in an eyebrow-raising move, has shifted from Universal to Netflix.
But let’s back up, first.Red Noticewas a hot studio package that Universal won last year in a bidding war, trumping Netflix at the time. WhenSkyscraperwas preparing to hit theaters last summer, Thurber promoted the film on Collider Movie Talk, and hinted that he had a third lead in mind forRed Notice, to which Johnson and Gadot had already signed on to star. I tried to convince Thurber to tell me off the record, and when that didn’t work, I asked my sources, but the trail, it seemed, had quickly gone cold. I suppose you could chalk up the loss of momentum toSkyscraper’s box office performance, since it grossed just over $300 million worldwide, including just $68 million domestic — not nearly enough for a film that cost $125 million before marketing, even with Chinese partners picking up most of the tab.
According to Deadline, Thurber showed Universal his final draft last month, asRed Noticehas to start production soon if the studio still hoped to release the big-budget movie as planned on Aug 11, 2025. Apparently, the studio had some reservations. When Thurber and his producers pointed to the progress-to-production clauses in the original contract, Universal agreed to let them take it elsewhere, and Netflix, led byScott Stuber, quickly pounced. The deal closed over the holiday weekend, andRed Noticeis probably the most expensive project Netflix has ever committed to on paper, though I have no idea what the final price tag will end up being onMartin Scorsese’sThe Irishman. Deadline claims the production budget forRed Noticeis $130 million, but I wonder if that includes talent deals. We know that Johnson is being paid $20 million, while Thurber is being paid at least $10 million. And if Johnson is getting his full fee, then I think it’s safe to assume Reynolds and Gadot are making around $15 million each… maybe even more for Reynolds, who also stars in Netflix’s upcoming action movie6 Undergroundfrom directorMichael Bay. I just don’t see how Netflix can pay all those star salaries and deliver a globetrotting epic for less than $180 million.
Regardless of how much it costs,Red Noticeis a huge get for Netflix, and it’s expected to start production next year, though it’s unclear whether the film will be available on Netflix in time for the holidays, or whether the streaming service will hold it for the summer of 2021. Netflix doesn’t have to spend a year marketing its films, unlike most studios, who often begin dropping teaser posters and trailers at least nine months in advance.
Red Notice, which takes in multiple countries, is described as an international action-thriller centered around the pursuit of the most wanted art thief in the world. Johnson is producing with his Seven Bucks partnersDany GarciaandHiram Garcia, as well as his old palBeau Flynnand Thurber.Scott Sheldonwill serve as an executive producer. Flynn and Seven Bucks are also in business with Netflix onJohn Henry and the Statesmen, which is being developed as a star vehicle for Johnson, who touted Netflix’s ability to turnRed Noticeinto a global event.
While a recent report in The Information suggested that Netflix may curtail spending in the wake ofTriple Frontier, this news certainly doesn’t jibe with that, andTriple Frontierhas been watched by roughly half of Netflix’s 125 million-plus members, so the idea that theBen Affleck-Oscar Isaacmovie didn’t accomplish its viewership goal seems unlikely to me. Reviews may not have been uniformly positive, but it got people talking and clearly led to more A-list stars doing Netflix movies and the industry shedding any stigma about the streaming service.
Reynolds, Johnson, Gadot and Thurber are all represented by WME.
