Movies

Netflix’s Extraction: Chris Hemsworth Action Franchise Getting a TV Series (But He Won’t Star)

Netflix is expanding Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction action franchise with a TV show starring a big shot French actor.

extraction-2-chris-hemsworth-first-look.jpg
Image courtesy of Netflix

Netflix has ordered an eight-episode TV series set in the Extraction universe, with Lupin star Omar Sy taking the lead role instead of Chris Hemsworth. The series, produced by AGBO with Glen Mazzara (The Walking Dead) serving as showrunner, will follow a new mercenary character as he undertakes a dangerous hostage rescue mission in Libya. This marks Netflix’s latest effort to expand one of its most successful action franchises into television territory, following the massive success of the original films starring Hemsworth. The streaming giant’s VP of Scripted Series, Peter Friedlander, promises that “audiences are in for a thrill” as they delve deeper into the Extraction universe.

Videos by ComicBook.com

The new series will maintain the franchise’s signature high-stakes action while exploring new corners of the Extraction universe. Set against the backdrop of warring factions and ruthless killers, the show promises to delve deeper into the emotional struggles of its characters as they navigate trauma, betrayal, and life-or-death situations. AGBO, the production company behind the original films led by Joe and Anthony Russo, will executive produce alongside Mazzara and original Extraction director Sam Hargrave. Angela Russo-Otstot, speaking on behalf of AGBO, emphasized their commitment to exploring “heroic yet flawed mercenaries who illuminate universal themes.”

The Extraction franchise began in 2020 with Hemsworth starring as Tyler Rake, an Australian black ops mercenary undertaking a perilous mission to rescue an Indian crime lord’s kidnapped son in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, the film became Netflix’s most-watched original film at the time, with an unprecedented 99 million households viewing it during its first four weeks. Its 2023 sequel, Extraction 2, continued Rake’s story with a mission to save a Georgian crime family, earning critical praise for its expanded scope and ambitious action sequences, including a stunning 21-minute single-shot sequence that raised the bar for action filmmaking. Thereโ€™s a third movie currently in development, with Hemsworth poised to return.

Omar Sy Is a Great Choice for an Extraction TV Show

Omar Sy in Lupin
Image courtesy of Netflix

While some fans might be disappointed Hemsworth wonโ€™t star in the Extraction TV series, Omar Sy brings considerable star power to the universe, having established himself as one of Netflix’s most valuable international stars. The French actor’s leading role in Lupin helped create one of the streaming service’s biggest global phenomena, with the series becoming the most-watched non-English show on Netflix at the time of its release, attracting 76 million households in its first month. The show’s success has continued through three acclaimed parts, with its latest installment achieving 50 million completed viewings by January 2024, demonstrating Sy’s enduring appeal to global audiences.

Before taking on the Extraction series, Sy has demonstrated his versatility across various genres and international productions. After winning the Cรฉsar Award for Best Actor for The Intouchables in 2012, making history as the first Black recipient, Sy successfully transitioned to Hollywood with roles in blockbusters like X-Men: Days of Future Past, Jurassic World, and Transformers: The Last Knight. These blockbuster endeavors proved that Sy could add a physical presence to his enviable dramatic range, making him a perfect candidate for an Extraction series.

Are you excited about Netflix developing an Extraction TV show? How do you like the streaming choosing Omar Sy to star? Let us know i the comments!