John Wick Meets Slow Horses: The 115-Minute Spy Thriller Being Removed From HBO Max
A Cold War mission
Set on the eve of the Berlin Wall’s collapse, Atomic Blonde follows MI6 spy Lorraine Broughton as she searches for a list of mysterious people. Charlize Theron stars in the lead role.
David Leitch directed the 2017 film. He had worked on the original John Wick without receiving a credit, then built a separate career after collaborating with Chad Stahelski.
Espionage meets action
The cast includes James McAvoy, John Goodman and Toby Jones. The film pairs detailed spy intrigue with the kind of fluid action associated with John Wick. A stairway fight, staged as a centerpiece one-take sequence, earned particular praise. The film’s espionage elements were also compared with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which featured Jones.
A sequel never arrived
Atomic Blonde was a bigger hit than the original John Wick, according to the account, and sequel discussions took place. No follow-up was made. The movie is currently available on HBO Max in the United States, but its streaming run there is nearing its end.
Key points
- Atomic Blonde stars Charlize Theron as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton.
- The 2017 thriller is set just before the Berlin Wall’s collapse.
- David Leitch directed the film, which includes a praised stairway action sequence.
- The film outperformed the original John Wick, but no sequel was produced.