Extraction wasn’t the most memorable film of the year, but it was a gigantic hit for Netflix last summer. With Chris Helmsworth starring and the Russo Brothers behind it, this was about as close to a Marvel movie as fans got this year, and that helped it become what the streamer claims is their most-watched original movie ever. While we know a sequel is in the works, the Russos have much bigger plans.
Speaking with Collider, writer Joe Russo talks about his plans for building an Extraction franchise, similar to the one he and his brother helped build for Marvel.
“I’m still not gonna commit because I think it’s more exciting to surprise people, but I will say this: we are working at building out a universe of films that could potentially explore some of the other characters from the first movie and some new characters, and see more historical interaction between the characters. So if you’re interested in David Harbour’s character, you just may get to see him in a future Extraction movie.”
The word “historical” there is key. See, Extraction ends with Hemsworth’s character, Tyler Rake, “dying” after taking a load of gunfire. I would argue that he’s not really dead as he had one of those comic book deaths that is unconfirmed. Harbour’s character, an old friend of Rake’s named Gasper…well, he’s definitely not coming back unless it’s in some kind of prequel.
Russo continued, “We’re trying to find more interesting ways to tell these stories and cross-pollinate them. We’re big fans of just forging new paths in narrative. Can we go backwards and forwards at the same time? Can things that happened in the past affect the movies in the present? What are new ways to tell those stories? And can we see different points of view? Every antagonist is the protagonist in their own story, so can we see their point of view? How do they perceive the world? What makes them empathetic? I think what makes that a compelling element to the Extraction universe is it is a global franchise telling global stories, and we’d like to diversify the point of view in those movies.”
So a lot more Extraction is coming our way. It was inevitable that Netflix would have a cinematic universe of their own some day. I’m just surprised this was the movie to do it.
