‘RED SPARROW’ may be the start of another novel franchise for Jennifer Lawrence

Courtney Howard // Film Critic

Who’s ready for a female-fronted espionage thriller that kicks major ass? We are! Last year we saw powerhouse Charlize Theron’s ATOMIC BLONDE rake in a solid amount of money (around $52 million domestic on a $30 million budget), and in what feels like a glorious time of riches, we get to see Jennifer Lawrence hopefully pull in the same kind of draw in RED SPARROW. Directed by Francis Lawrence (her HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE/ MOCKINGJAY director), and written by Justin Haythe (A CURE FOR WELLNESS, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD), adapted from the novel by Jason Matthews, this taut action-thriller looks like it’s the Black Widow movie everyone wanted Marvel to make (but they didn’t because, oh honey, don’t get me started).

Francis Lawrence is skilled at making his heroine look capable and badass whenever possible, so I have faith he’ll be able to carry these strong traits through into this novel adaptation. Since the book series is a trilogy, I’d also be curious as to if this performs well at the box-office, if we’ll see J.Law launch yet another franchise based on a book series. We can only hope.

The film also stars Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Dominika Egorova is many things. 

A devoted daughter determined to protect her mother at all costs. 

A prima ballerina whose ferocity has pushed her body and mind to the absolute limit. 

A master of seductive and manipulative combat. 

 

When she suffers a career-ending injury, Dominika and her mother are facing a bleak and uncertain future. That is why she finds herself manipulated into becoming the newest recruit for Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people like her to use their bodies and minds as weapons. After enduring the perverse and sadistic training process, she emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow the program has ever produced. Dominika must now reconcile the person she was with the power she now commands, with her own life and everyone she cares about at risk, including an American CIA agent who tries to convince her he is the only person she can trust.