Everything We Know So Far
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Netflix has quickly carved out a niche for itself with high octane big-budget action films starring Hollywood A-listers. Films like Red Notice and The Gray Man have been huge wins for the streamer, clocking in billions of minutes in watch time. Now adding to the list, the streamer is coming out with another blockbuster action film called Heart of Stone.
Heart of Stone is an action vehicle for Gal Gadot, who's proved herself to be one of the biggest action stars of our time and was even a part of the star-studded cast of Netflix's Red Notice. The Israeli actress became one of the top players in Hollywood after her role as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Since then, she has reprised the role in the wildly successful Wonder Woman, its sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and both versions of Justice League. Heart of Stone will see the actress lead an original action film for the first time.
Spy action thriller franchises like Mission: Impossible, James Bond, and the Jason Bourne series have been huge for Hollywood, and a lot of films have tried to repeat that success with various degrees of the outcome. Heart of Stone is set to make a play for an original espionage action franchise for Netflix, and here's everything we know about the film so far.
Editor's Note: This article was last updated on August 8, 2023.
When Is Heart of Stone Releasing?
In the First Look video released at last year's TUDUM event, it was confirmed the film will come out sometime in 2023, and the actual date was confirmed by Netflix in their "2023 Films Preview" video. Heart of Stone will be arriving on August 11, 2023.
Will Heart of Stone Be Released in Theaters or on Streaming?
While there is a chance that Netflix will give Heart of Stone a limited theatrical release, it seems more likely that the film will exclusively be available on Netflix.
Is There a Trailer for Heart of Stone?
Netflix released a first-look featurette for the film back in September 2022 during their Tudum event. The video features beautiful shots featuring epic action and moody cinematography on a spectacular scale, shot in gorgeous locations from all around the globe. It opens with Gal Gadot's character Rachel Stone being told about the rules of the spy life - "No friends, No relationships", as we see her move from one action set piece to another, from gun battles, and chase sequences, to jumping out of a plane. The action scenes are intercut with behind-the-scenes footage of the stars pulling off impossible stunts and cast interviews. Gal Gadot describes the film as "extremely epic" and a "super grounded raw action thriller". Alia Bhatt talks about the characters and how the audiences will "really connect and feel for them", while Jamie Dornan mentions the big scale and complex plot of the film. Gal Gadot ends the teaser by talking about her character Rachel Stone and describes her as an adrenaline junkie.
Netflix released the full trailer for Heart of Stone during the annual Tudum event on June 17, 2023. The trailer does a good job of showing off the film's big-budget action sequences and giving us a good look at the story.
Who Is in the Cast of Heart of Stone?
Headlining the cast of Heart of Stone is Gal Gadot herself, in the title role of international superspy Rachel Stone. Gal Gadot will be seen entering the same space as characters like Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne and showcase incredible stunts. But Gal isn't alone, she will be joined by other stars like Alia Bhatt and Jamie Dornan in this adventure. This film will also mark the Hollywood debut of Bollywood superstar Alia Bhatt, who is expected to bring a lot of eyeballs to the project. Bhatt is a bonafide movie star back in her home country, starring in some of the biggest hits that India has ever produced. Just this year, she made an appearance in the global hits RRR and Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva, alongside giving stellar performances in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi and Darlings, the latter one for Netflix. Fifty Shades of Grey and Belfast star Jamie Dornan will join the action and co-star opposite Gal Gadot in the international spy thriller. Also joining them is Matthias Schweighöfer (Army of the Dead), Sophie Okonedo (Death on the Nile), Jing Lusi (Crazy Rich Asians), Paul Ready (The Terror), Jon Kortajarena (A Single Man), and Archie Madekwe (Gran Turismo).
What Is the Plot of Heart of Stone?
The project has been described in the trades as "an original international spy thriller hatched by Skydance Media that endeavors to put a female spin on action franchises like Mission: Impossible and James Bond." The official plot synopsis for the film read:
Gal Gadot is Agent Rachel Stone, the only intelligence operative who stands between her global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset, codenamed: The Heart.
Gadot spoke to Collider about the film ahead of its release and had this to say about the plot:
I'm excited for people to sit at the edge of their seats. I'm excited for them to reveal the twists and turns. I think there's a really good, healthy amount of humor and action and drama, and just for people to enjoy it and have fun with us with the movie.
Who Is Making Heart of Stone?
British film and television director, Tom Harper, best known for directing episodes of shows like Peaky Blinders, War and Peace, and Amazon's The Aeronauts, is directing the film. The script has been written by comic-book writer Greg Rucka, who previously wrote the adaptation of his own comic series for Netflix's The Old Guard, and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Allison Schroeder, known for co-writing films like Hidden Figures and Christopher Robin. Tom Harper will be teaming with his trusted cinematographer George Steel and film editor Mark Eckersley, who he collaborated with on The Aeronauts in the past.
Where Was Heart of Stone Filmed?
We have come to expect lavish and gorgeous locations from international spy and espionage thrillers over the years because the films in franchises like Mission Impossible and James Bond, and Heart of Stone promises to deliver the same. The film has been touted as a globe-trotting thriller and began the first round of its production in London in March 2022. The production shifted to Reykjavík, Iceland the following month to take advantage of the country's fantastic landscapes, before moving back to the United Kingdom in May of this year. The final days of filming Heart of Stone took place in Lisbon, Portugal, and production wrapped on July 28, 2022.
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