Netflix’s upcoming Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds heist movie Red Notice can make good on the promise that Hobbs and Shaw made but has yet to deliver. The film is written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and marks the third team-up between him and Johnson, who have worked together previously on Central Intelligence and Skyscraper. Red Notice stars The Rock as John Hartley, a top FBI agent who is forced to team up with Nolan Booth (Reynolds), a high-profile criminal, in order to apprehend international art thief Sarah Black, played by fellow Fast Saga alum Gal Gadot. With their respective popularity, charm, and notable comedic talent, an eventual Rock/Reynolds team-up was inevitable, and while viewers got a taste of what the duo has to offer in Hobbs and Shaw, the Fast and Furious spinoff has yet to capitalize on their full potential.
Reynolds makes his Hobbs and Shaw cameo as Locke, a CIA agent tasked with briefing Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) on his mission. While their relationship is not specifically outlined, their rapport and matching tattoos would seem to suggest something of a history between them, albeit a tenuous one. Although they only share a few minutes of screen-time, the chemistry between Reynolds and Johnson in the movie makes it one of its most memorable scenes. Locke is also rather prominently featured in Hobbs & Shaw's four post-credit scenes, which, paired with his relationship with Hobbs, seem to secure Reynold’s future with the franchise.
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The potential prospect of a new Fast and Furious team featuring the two actors is certainly exciting, but, as of yet, there has not been much development on a Hobbs and Shaw sequel, and although the cameo was enjoyable, it didn’t give the duo much of a chance to spread their wings. Netflix’s upcoming film Red Notice, on the other hand, puts the two front and center at last. The relationship between Johnson and Reynolds in Red Notice seems to mirror their relationship in Hobbs and Shaw; a reluctant Johnson is duty-bound to tolerate an overly charismatic Reynolds. This kind of comedy dynamic is a staple of both actors’ careers, and the two finally being pitted against each other in a format that gives their chemistry the breathing room that it deserves makes Red Notice perhaps the most enticing of Johnson’s upcoming movies.
Johnson has proven himself to be a more-than-capable comedic partner in recent years, acting alongside the likes of Jack Black and Kevin Hart, and Reynolds is certainly no stranger to action, making Red Notice the ideal environment for them to bounce off each other while still playing to their individual strengths. The Rock's characters often start off as tightly wound tough guys who are softened by camaraderie while Reynolds tends to play wise-cracking jerks who realize they’ve got a heart of gold, so casting them as a stern FBI agent and a smarmy thief who are forced to cooperate is a brilliant and exciting move.
Red Notice is set to release on November 12, 2021, and was originally to be distributed by Universal before Netflix purchased the rights, reportedly making it the streaming service’s most expensive property to date. With Reynolds’ trademarked wit and Johnson’s powerful charisma on full display, Red Notice is sure to hold over fans of the duo until a Hobbs and Shaw sequel is released, which, considering their schedules, could be a rather long wait.
