During the making of “X-Men: Dark Phoenix,” actor Jessica Chastain proposed an idea to director Simon Kinberg: what about a female-led spy film in the same spirit as the “Mission: Impossible” and “James Bond”? It didn’t take long for the idea to take hold, Kinberg agreeing to direct, Chastain to star and produce, and to grab many of her famous friends to star in the movie. Eventually, the cast grew to Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Lupita Nyong’o, Diane Kruger, Sebastian Stan, and Édgar Ramírez (Marion Cotillard was part of the cast when it was pitched at Cannes 2018, but eventually dropped out over scheduling).
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So, yeah, it’s a supergroup spy film about a team of female agents from different espionage backgrounds who come together to prevent an organization from initiating a plan that would disrupt the world. Here’s the official synopsis:
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The story sees the five women banding together, overcoming their suspicions and conflicts, to use all their considerable talents and training to stop a global organization from acquiring a weapon that could thrust the teetering world into total chaos. Along the way, these strangers and enemies become comrades and friends, and a new faction is formed – code-named ‘355’ (a name they adopt from the first female spy in the American Revolution).”
American playwright, television writer, and novelist Theresa Rebeck and she’s known for films like 2017’s “Trouble” (which she also directed), “Harriet the Spy,” and perhaps less favorably, the reviled 2004 “Catwoman” film starring Halle Berry, but to be fair, she only has a story-by credit on it.
“355” had studios clamoring for the film during its Cannes 2018 sales pitch, Amazon bidding, but Universal Pictures winning in a reportedly $20 million deal. Universal is expected to release the movie on January 15, 2021, but given COVID, you know there’s probably a contingency release date out there as well. Watch the first trailer below and let us know what you think.
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