What Is the ‘Gray Man’ About? Netflix Movie and Book Series, Explained

The most expensive film that Netflix has ever made, The Gray Man, is set to premiere on the platform on July 22, 2022. The film has attracted much attention due to its whopping $200 million budget and its all-star cast. Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling will head up The Gray Man as former CIA partners who are at odds with one another. Also starring alongside them are Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Billy Bob Thornton, and Regé-Jean Page.

If the cast and cost alone aren’t enough to sell you on the film, there’s also the directors to sweeten the deal. The Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe, are directing The Gray Man after their epic two-part saga Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. And the Russos are teaming up with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote The Gray Man script. So, we basically have an entire Marvel reunion going on with The Gray Man, which tells us this action thriller is going to be exciting.

Let’s also not forget that Evans’ pornstache is making its long-awaited return with The Gray Man. In fact, Netflix is even selling Evans mustache replicas to fans. Of course, The Gray Man isn’t solely about Evans’ mustache. Nor is it a Marvel film in disguise. Instead, it is a film based off of the book series of the same name written by Mark Greaney. Here’s what The Gray Man film and book series’ plot are all about.

What is The Gray Man film about?

As a film adaption, The Gray Man isn’t going to follow the book series to a T. The basic plotline of the film is that Court Gentry/Sierra Six (Gosling) is one of the CIA’s top mercenaries. However, when he uncovers dark agency secrets, he becomes the primary target of his former partner, Lloyd Hansen (Evans). Hansen is certainly not alone though, and sends an entire horde of international assassins after Gentry. Check out the official synopsis below:

When a shadowy CIA agent uncovers damning agency secrets, he’s hunted across the globe by a sociopathic rogue operative who has put a bounty on his head.

Netflix

Meanwhile, Netflix also dropped an explosive trailer on May 24, 2022. The trailer gives us a good look at both Gentry and Hansen. Additionally, it gives us a look at Ana de Armas’ Agent Dani Miranda, who appears to be a sidekick of Gentry. We also get a glimpse of Thornton, as Donald Fitzroy. Fitzroy is Gentry’s handler, or case officer, who is responsible for handling Gentry while in operation.

Gentry is a mysterious, elusive, and skilled mercenary who is on the run. While the sadistic and cocky Hansen seems convinced that he can “kill anybody”, Gentry’s handler thinks otherwise. However, Hansen does seem to have a huge number of men on his side who would be eager to collect the bounty of one of the CIA’s top mercenaries. Hansen is really just one man against a whole slew of international assassins. Yet Netflix hasn’t dropped much info on what the dark agency secrets are, nor why Hansen wants to kill Gentry.

The Gray Man book series

The Gray Man is the first book in The Gray Man series, which encompasses a total of 11 books. Netflix’s film is primarily based off of the first book. In Greaney’s The Gray Man, Gentry is a CIA operative who sets off on a mission to rescue his handler Fitzroy and his family from Hansen. Hansen’s a member of a French corporation seeking to strike a billion-dollar deal for oil interests with the Nigerian President. The President, in turn, wants Gentry dead because Gentry assassinated his brother.

Hence, both the film and books have Gentry and Hansen as nemeses. However, there hasn’t been any indication that Gentry’s family will appear in the film or that they’re captured by Hansen. Instead, it is “agency secrets” that make up Gentry’s primary mission. As for the Nigerian president and Hansen’s corporation – it’s difficult to say if these will figure into the film. From the trailer, Hansen definitely does seem to have wealth and he certainly must have some motivation for wanting Gentry dead.

Meanwhile, the film will also be creating some original characters, such as de Armas’ Miranda. The books are noticeably lacking in female characters and love interests, so we’re curious to see what the film’s plans are for Miranda. Ultimately though, the basic premise of the film and book are the same. They follow one man who defies the odds to escape from hundreds of men who want to kill him. It’s not realistic and not even necessarily a great story, but with a great writer and/or director, The Gray Man is sure to feature a break-neck pace, nonstop action, and thrills.

(featured image: Netflix)