Red Notice has made some serious waves on Netflix since it's become available to stream, as fans seem to be loving the action caper. Of course, it's not hard to see the appeal when it stars three of the biggest stars in Hollywood: Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds. In addition to showcasing its capable leads, the film features some awesome references and homages to movies that inspired it. The coolest one might be the Indiana Jones nugget that likely caught viewers by surprise. Now, we know how the movie landed that sweet easter egg.
During the movie's third act, Ryan Reynolds' Nolan Booth can be heard whistling the iconic Indy theme, a creative choice that fits the film and the situation the character is in. Director Rawson Marshall Thuber recently spoke to Collider about his new streaming juggernaut, including that fantastic nod. Marshall Thuber explained that it was a last-minute addition to the movie but, of course, he had to go through a few channels to make sure that it was indeed fair game to use:
Well, it’s something I came up with on the day. I pitched it to Ryan [Reynolds], and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s great let’s do it.’ And then he’s like, ‘Wait a minute, can we do that?’ I’m like, ‘Let’s just do it, we’ll figure it out later.’ And so we did it, and then we called up, essentially, John Williams and the rights holders, and they’ve never done it before. But they did it this time, they allowed us to use it. It was really generous of them.
I can't even imagine calling John Williams, let alone dialing him up to ask to use one of his most legendary pieces of music. And it's a good thing he and the rights holders said yes, because the movie's last act essentially serves as an extended Indiana Jones tribute. In it, the characters traverse a jungle in Argentina to uncover artifacts that have been hidden for decades.
With small details like these, it's no wonder Red Notice has been such a big success for Netflix. And of course, having three major stars seems to be a pretty good recipe for success. The trio of celebrities are also all super grateful for the fans who have been supporting the film, and all three have since responded to the film hitting a major milestone on the streamer.
The movie really was a labor of love, as it was filmed during the pandemic. Gal Gadot has spoken about the difficulties and challenges that the cast and crew overcame to get the job done. Ultimately, nothing was going to stop them from delivering the film and, in Dwayne Johnson’s case, he actually tore down the gate to his house to get to work on time. All in all, he hard work and property damage have paid off for both the streaming service and the star-studded triumvirate of talent.
Of course, many are already looking forward to more from the franchise. Red Notice’s ending sets up its characters for an exciting future, as it looks like sequels will indeed be on the way. Hopefully, any potential follow-ups will be able to match the fun of the original. Not just in terms of action but also in the way that it honors iconic movie franchises like Indiana Jones.
