Red Notice is reportedly Netflix's biggest release to date, but the film's ambitions risk running into the same issues as the service's previous Ryan Reynolds-headed streaming blockbuster, 6 Underground. The upcoming action film features a stacked cast of Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, and Gal Gadot, but that star power doesn't automatically guarantee continuing franchise potential.
Red Notice follows an FBI profiler (Johnson) who recruits a con man (Reynolds) to track down the world's most elusive art thief (Gadot). The actors are getting paid $20 million each for their role, though Johnson will receive more than his co-stars due to his role as a producer. Notably, it wasn't Netflix that initially bought production rights for the picture in 2019, but Universal, and that was before a screenplay was even in the running. However, Universal shopped the script to its bidding rival Netflix once it was written, and the streaming service took the late victory.
As the streaming wars rage on, services are continuing to acquire hot commodity properties to convince people to shell out subscription fees. Netflix, the longest-running streaming service (and still the most recognizable name to the average household consumer), has more freedom to experiment with new, original titles instead of relying on existing IP as in the case of platforms like Disney+ and HBO Max, both of which tend to greenlight projects that connect to recognizable brands like Marvel, DC, or decades-old old sitcoms. That doesn't mean that Netflix isn't hungry for its own properties. Most of the service's original films that brought in successfully high viewership numbers, such as Extraction, Spenser Confidential, and Bird Box, have sequels underway. Zack Snyder's Easter egg-filled Army of the Dead already has the upcoming prequel spin-off Army of Thieves set to release later this year as well as an animated series called Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, laying the groundwork for an entire franchise.
However, 6 Underground is not one of these successes, despite it being arguably Netflix's most ambitious project at the time of its release. The film wasn't just any Netflix original, either. It was directed by Hollywood legend and action auteur Michael Bay and boasted a budget of $150 million dollars, one of Netflix's most expensive ventures to date. Within the first month of its release on December 13, 2019, 6 Underground reached 83 million viewers, making it also one of the service's most-watched original films. Considering this surface-level success, it's confusing why the movie was considered a disappointment with no potential for a continuing story.
The failure of superhero alum Ryan Reynolds' action movie most likely has more to do with negative critical reception. Scott Stuber, head of original films at Netflix, acknowledged that 6 Underground was a hit, but that it didn't "nail the mark to justify coming back again." Still, it's not like other Netflix originals that have upcoming sequels received glowing reviews, either, and it's important to note that 6 Underground's viewership numbers were among the first to be calculated based on a two-minute watch window. That means that those who tuned into the movie and decided against watching until the end were still part of the 83 million views.
Red Notice is set to be bigger than 6 Underground, and is relying on the face of Ryan Reynolds to drum up interest. The problem is that if 6 Underground's high viewership wasn't enough to warrant a sequel, Red Notice will have to try even harder despite the movie star power attached to the project. The upcoming film's budget is estimated to range from a whopping $160 to $200 million, making it the platform's most expensive project to date. A chunk of that money is going to the film's high-profile actors, but the issue is that star power isn't nearly as effective as selling movies anymore (though there's an argument to be made that The Rock remains one of the few who can). Red Notice is relying on its financial ambitions and celebrity draw to hype interest, but those strategies don't always play out successfully.