The Gray Man Continues A Troubling Netflix Trend
Netflix's latest would-be blockbuster action flick, The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas, is the latest film in a troubling trend that signals the streaming industry incumbent's loosening grip on the market. Arriving on the heels of the service losing subscribers for the second quarter in a row, The Gray Man clocks in with Netflix's most expensive movie budget to date, costing the streaming service $200 million. While the film has been a success, dominating Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart since its release, The Gray Man's budget and marketing are exposing Netflix's vulnerabilities in the streaming wars.
The Gray Man, a spy action-thriller and adaptation of the novel by the same name by Mark Greaney, is directed by the critically acclaimed duo of Anthony and Joe Russo, most famous for MCU films like Captain America: Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame. An attempt to adapt the book series initially began development in 2011 but was abandoned before the Russos became attached to direct in July 2020, announcing that Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling and long-time Russo collaborator/MCU alumnus Chris Evans were set to star in the film. Following a successful launch, spending its first eight days as the #1 most watched film on the service, plans have already been announced by Netflix for a Gray Man franchise including both a direct sequel and a spin-off film.
Related: The Gray Man's Biggest Unanswered Questions
The Gray Man illustrates Netflix's main disadvantage in the streaming wars: relying on their competition to create the star power necessary to market their films, rather than creating it themselves. As Netflix continues to lose subscribers and changes fundamental aspects of the service,
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