Netflix is in major need of a movie franchise hit, and it’s obvious why they would look to directors Anthony and Joe Russo (“Avengers: Endgame”) to find it with “The Gray Man,” which opened for a one-week theatrical run this weekend before hitting the streamer Friday.
But a franchise hit may not be all that Netflix needs to boost its fortunes, and with a budget north of $200 million, a lot needs to go right for “The Gray Man” to show that Netflix’s strategy as a film studio is on the right track.
The Russo brothers always envisioned Mark Greaney’s 11 “Gray Man” books as a long-term action franchise well before the project landed at Netflix.