A few days after the digital premiere of its high-budget action spectacle, The Gray Man, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Netflix has announced that a sequel and a spin-off to the film are in development. Ryan Gosling, who essayed the titular character, will return to star in the sequel along with the director duo.

The Russo Brothers, who had expressed their interest in exploring the future of the franchise while promoting The Gray Man, said in a statement, "The audience reaction to The Gray Man has been nothing short of phenomenal. We are so appreciative of the enthusiasm that fans across the world have had for this film. With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for The Gray Man to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan, as well as a second script that we’re excited to talk about soon.” 

Details about the spin-off are currently under tight wraps. Based on Mark Greaney’s best-selling series of books, The Gray Man is a spy actioner following a CIA agent (Gosling) on the run from a sadistic mercenary after uncovering the true nature of his superior. Chris Evans essays Lloyd Hansen, a psychopathic former CIA agent. 

A majority of hype and anticipation for the film in India can be attributed to the presence of Tamil star, Dhanush, making his foray into Hollywood with a character named Avik San.

The Gray Man was met with negative reviews, with most of the criticism directed towards the predictable nature of script while action sequences were appreciated.

According to Variety, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, whose credits include Zombieland and the Deadpool films will be writing the spin-off film, which reportedly explores 'a different element of The Gray Man universe'.