Netflix has been seeing some huge success with their original programming over the last several years and as of late they have been making a big push to get into the film game as well. The streaming service just closed a deal at Cannes to distribute a new action/thriller calledWheelmanthat hasCaptain AmericaandThe PurgestarFrank Grilloattached to star in and produce. Netflix reportedly closed the deal for $10 million, with filming set to begin later this year.
Grillowill be reteaming withJoe Carnahan, who directed him inThe GreyalongsideLiam Neeson, though Carnahan will be on as a producer as opposed to a director forWheelman. Instead, the relatively unknownJeremy Rushwill be directing from a script he wrote himself. The synopsis for the film echoes a similar tone to films likeDriveandGetaway.
In the movie, the wheelman is Grillo - a getaway driver thrust into a high stakes race-to-survive after a bank robbery goes terribly wrong. With a car full of money and his family on the line, the clock is ticking to figure out who double-crossed him, and the only person he can trust… his fourteen-year-old daughter. All reasons to think fast, and drive faster.
Though the plot for the film seems very familiar, films like these run the table in terms of quality, so it is hard to tell just how this one will turn out.Netflix, however, has a pretty great track record with their programming thus far withBeasts of No Nationgarnering a ton of praise from both fans and critics, though it had trouble securing a lot of attention during awards season due to its lack of box office performance. The team behind the film is promising as well, with Carnahan generally turning in very entertaining action films and Grillo really helped to elevateThe Purgefranchise with his presence inThe Purge: Anarchyand what we’ve seen fromThe Purge: Election Yearlooks promising as well.
Most recently,Grillowas seen alongsideChris EvansinCaptain America: Civil Waras thevillainCrossbones, which was something of a reprisal/continuance of his character fromCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. After playing a relatively small but important part in one of thelargest franchisesaround, it makes sense that Grillo would make the leap to a starring role.Grillohas also been a regular on the MMA seriesKingdom.
Netflix is also reportedly close to closing a deal to distribute the filmSandcastle, which starsHenry Cavill,Nicholas Hoult,Tommy Flanagan,Glen PowellandLogan Marshall-Green. Thestreamingservice will reportedly be paying $13 million for the Fernando Coimbra-directed drama. In addition to the deals that Netflix is closing at Cannes, they also recently put up a surprising $90 million dollars for the David Ayer directed fantasy action filmBright, which will starWill SmithandJoel Edgertonand was written byMax Landis. There is no word yet on when Netflix will be looking to releaseWheelman.
