The following contains spoilers for Back in Action, now streaming on Netflix.
Back in Action, Netflix‘s new spy action comedy, has just debuted on the streaming service. It marks Cameron Diaz’s return to acting after a 10-year break, where she co-stars with Jamie Foxx.
The action comedy follows a married couple, played by Diaz and Foxx, who are forced back into the world of espionage after their cover is blown. This time, things are more difficult as they have children. Back in Action‘s ending resolved the case, but its one last twist sets up a sequel, and the director told Entertainment Weekly they have some ideas of how the story might play out.
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Seth Gordon, who previously helmed comedies like 2011’s Horrible Bosses or 2013’s Identity Theft, explained how the action comedy could continue in the future. As Baron comes to the couple to tell them they didn’t find Chuck’s body, he wants Diaz’s Emily to finish the mission, and that’s because she would work with her father.
Emily’s father is not mentioned in the movie, but her mother, Ginny, is an MI6 vet played by Glenn Close. “There’s certainly an idea about who the dad could be and what the whole story could be about,” Gordon teased.”
Speaking about whether Back in Action 2 is in the works, he shared that Netflix “won’t even acknowledge the idea of a sequel yet! So if you put in a good word, maybe there’s a chance.”
We’ve definitely got some creative thoughts.
He also teased that a sequel could put Emily and Matt’s children in the center of the action. “What I’m leaning towards is there’s these moments where family comes in, and the events of a teenager’s life come in conflict with someone’s background as a spy. I feel like there’s a few opportunities or landmarks that we can build on from their lives.”
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Gordon highlighted how their son, Leo, is based on his own son, and explained the physical changes his son went through. “I think we would honor the truth of the timeline of their lives and show another event, sort of later in high school, for both of them. But I tried to [weave] in the first one that Leo shows these moments of promise [and] ability.”
As for Emily’s dad, the director teased that her mom, Ginny, might have met him through her work in the MI6. “I think you got to believe that she met him somewhere through work,” Gordon explained. “It wouldn’t be bad if he were also British. You’d have to believe that guy holding a gun. So there are certain people that you could consider for that part. We’ve definitely got some creative thoughts.”
Will Back in Action Get a Sequel?
So far, Netflix hasn’t confirmed whether it’s developing a sequel to the recently-released spy action comedy. The movie has just debuted on the platform, and Netflix will release the weekly charts on Tuesday, which will reveal how many people watched Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz’s new film. However, the interest is there. Just one day after its debut, Back in Action topped the charts, per FlixPatrol, and became the number-one movie in most countries Netflix is available.
Back in Action is Cameron Diaz’s first film in 10 years and, unfortunately, it didn’t impress the critics. The movie debuted with a disappointing 26% score on Rotten Tomatoes and, as more reviews came in, the rating dropped to 24%. It also received mixed reactions from the audience. So far, the action comedy holds a 66% score, which is not very enthusiastic, but still positive enough to maintain a full popcorn rating. Although the critical reception isn’t always one of the things Netflix considers when granting a sequel, Back in Action must pull strong viewership numbers for the streaming service to consider continuing the story.
Back in Action is streaming on Netflix.
Source: Entertainment Weekly, FlixPatrol
