Netflix is really keen on developing the next big James Bond/ Mission: Impossible-style franchise. The Grey Man apparently did pretty big business, as did Red Notice and Extraction, and now the streamer is again stepping into the espionage game with Heart of Stone. The film stars Gal Gadot as secret agent Rachel Stone, who, according to the official synopsis, “is the only woman who stands between her powerful, global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset.”
During their Tudum event, Netflix released a teaser/sizzle reel for the film, which is being directed by Wild Rose/ The Aeronauts director Tom Harper. In it, we get a glimpse at the “grounded” action, which seems very much in the mode of Atomic Blonde or John Wick. While Jamie Dornan and Bollywood star Alia Bhatt co-star, this seems like a solo star vehicle for Gadot, which is new for the actress if you actually think about it. While she famously played Wonder Woman, both of those movies teamed her with Chris Pine, who was always a second lead, while she was just part of an ensemble in Red Notice. In Heart of Stone, Gadot is the whole show.
It looks like a fun spy romp, if somewhat indistinguishable from any other Netflix action movies. The carnage in this doesn’t look much different from The Grey Man or Extraction, and it remains to be seen if Gadot can carry a film on her own – although she deserves the chance to show her stuff. Army of Thieves breakout Matthias Schweighöfer seems to be playing the baddie, even getting a classic villain moment where he angrily screams out the hero’s name – STOOOOOOONE!!!!
Heart of Stone hits Netflix in 2023.