Netflix is a monster of a studio and streamer, but even the hugely popular platform has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been made apparent by various popular shows, such as GLOW, The Society and I Am Not Okay With This, being axed, with Netflix citing the current climate as to why their fates were cut short. Even the sequel to Extraction, the streaming service’s (self-reported) most watched Netflix original movie to date, has been prone to a setback due to the present situation, but nonetheless, Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake will return for an action-packed follow-up.
Following the first film’s huge success, and in the early days of the pandemic, Extraction 2 was given the green light by Netflix, with the Russo Brothers heading back behind the scenes and Sam Hargrave expected to helm the sequel starring the Thor actor. Nearly a year after the announcement, Hargrave has offered an optimistic update about the project. When asked if the film was still on schedule to shoot in 2021, here’s what he said:
[That's] still the case, COVID-pending. That's kind of everyone's little caveat right now, but we're moving forward on it as if we're shooting in the fall. Joe [Russo] is still finalizing the script. We're all excited to read it. I've read different iterations, but I'm excited to read what he turns in. We're all looking forward to getting back in the saddle and hopefully bringing another action-packed adventure in the Extraction universe.
Per Sam Hargrave’s words to Collider, it sounds like the next Extraction movie is moving ahead on schedule, but COVID-19 could stall it further if things don’t calm down by the expected fall shoot date. We don’t have much to go on in terms of what is next for Tyler Rake and the overarching story, but we can definitely expect more high-octane action sequences. As Hargrave teased:
Truthfully, I always walk around my house or walk around town looking for ways to do something fun or different with action. I kind of think as if there's a camera behind my eyes all the time like, 'What would be an interesting way to capture this?', 'Oh, that'd be cool.' So I'm always cataloguing and trying to get different, fun ways to capture action and different action set pieces that would be great. Joe and I talked a lot about that, pitched some ideas, bounced them around, and I'm just excited for the challenge.
One of Extraction's major draws and accomplishments was an ambitious twelve minute continuous one-shot involving a car chase, knife and gun fight. Since Sam Hargrave comes from a stunt coordinator background (largely in Marvel films like Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame), the action flick was the perfect opportunity for him to flex those muscles on a huge scale.
The Russos are also working on an Extraction spinoff film that might build up the other characters in the film, including David Harbour’s Gaspar. Following their work on the Avengers films, Anthony and Joe Russo are attached to a riches of projects, also including Cherry with Tom Holland and The Gray Man with Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling. Hemsworth also has a Netflix blockbuster coming this year with Escape From Spiderhead.
We’ll keep you posted here on CinemaBlend as we follow what’s next for Extraction. In the meantime, check out all the new movies confirmed to be hitting Netflix in 2021.
