Netflix Orders Sequel and Spinoff to Ryan Gosling Film ‘Gray Man’

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling arrives at The Gray Man special screening at the BFI Southbank in London, Britain, 19 July 2022. (EPA)
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling arrives at The Gray Man special screening at the BFI Southbank in London, Britain, 19 July 2022. (EPA)
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Netflix Orders Sequel and Spinoff to Ryan Gosling Film ‘Gray Man’

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling arrives at The Gray Man special screening at the BFI Southbank in London, Britain, 19 July 2022. (EPA)
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling arrives at The Gray Man special screening at the BFI Southbank in London, Britain, 19 July 2022. (EPA)

Netflix Inc is turning its new spy thriller "The Gray Man" into a franchise, announcing plans on Tuesday for a sequel and spinoff to the action movie starring Ryan Gosling.

"The Gray Man," one of Netflix's most expensive movies to date, began streaming on Friday and was the most watched film on the streaming service in 92 countries, the company said.

Gosling stars in the film as Sierra Six, a former inmate sprung from prison by the CIA in exchange for servitude in a secret program.

A "Gray Man" movie sequel is now in development with Gosling and directors Joe and Anthony Russo, Netflix said in a statement.

The company also announced a separate spinoff movie but did not provide details on the storyline or characters.

The expansion of "Gray Man" is part of Netflix's strategy to build brands with well-known characters that can traverse film, television, video games and movies.



'Superman' Director James Gunn Remakes the Hero for the Big Screen

FILE PHOTO: Director James Gunn poses at a photo call for the film Superman in Culver City, California, US, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Director James Gunn poses at a photo call for the film Superman in Culver City, California, US, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
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'Superman' Director James Gunn Remakes the Hero for the Big Screen

FILE PHOTO: Director James Gunn poses at a photo call for the film Superman in Culver City, California, US, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Director James Gunn poses at a photo call for the film Superman in Culver City, California, US, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

James Gunn, writer and director of the off-kilter "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, tussled with various ideas on how to deliver a new take on Superman to the big screen.

Gunn said he was aware of the many ways the noble hero had been approached since his 1938 debut, initially in comic books and then radio serials, television shows and movies.

The challenge was to deliver something fresh that would appeal to a new generation of moviegoers and reinvigorate Warner Bros Discovery's DC Studios.

His vision, in the movie titled simply "Superman," starts rolling out in international theaters on Wednesday and in the United States and Canada on Friday, Reuters reported.

In the opening scene, Superman, played for the first time by David Corenswet, is seen bloodied after a fight, an unusual portrayal for the Man of Steel.

"I wanted to take the character of Superman and just focus on a piece of him that we haven't necessarily seen before," Gunn said.

Gunn surrounded Superman with elements that enthralled him from the comics as a child. Superman lives in a world, Gunn said, with "superhero friends and giant monsters and flying dogs, robots and all this magical stuff."

The new film includes Superman's four-legged sidekick, a superpowered dog named Krypto first introduced in a 1955 comic. The latest version is based on Gunn's real-life, misbehaving rescue mutt.

Warner Bros is counting on "Superman" to start a new era at DC Studios, which has failed to match the superhero success of Walt Disney-owned Marvel. Gunn, who made the "Guardians" movies for Marvel, was named co-CEO of DC Studios, alongside producer Peter Safran, in 2022.

The pair have plotted a long-term slate that features a Supergirl movie for June 2026, a film based on Swamp Thing and TV shows for HBO Max. Wonder Woman and Batman also are expected to return to cinemas.

Gunn said the aesthetic that audiences see in "Superman" will not necessarily foreshadow future DC Studios endeavors. "I want to be really certain that every project has its own unique flavor," Gunn said.

"We're doing Clayface, and that doesn't feel like this movie. It's an R-rated horror movie. We're doing 'Lanterns,' which is an HBO show, which feels very much like an HBO show, very grounded, very kind of brutal. We have 'Peacemaker,' which is an adult show with a lot of emotion and a lot of comedy."

Gunn admitted he has felt the weight of responsibility to produce a hit.
"I've felt pressure all along," Gunn said. "That's been difficult."

But as he started to see initial reaction to the film, "I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "It's pretty fun. I'm seeing the effect the movie has on people."