Chris Hemsworth is set to star in a Die Hard style thriller. Greenlit at Amazon MGM, Subversion will pair the Extraction star with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Patrick Vollrath (7500). The screenplay comes from first-time screenwriter Andrew Ferguson.
While Hemsworth has already established himself as a fully-fledged action star with the Extraction films and his recurring role as Thor, with Subversion drawing early comparisons to the iconic Die Hard, it’s safe to say his action career is about to step up a notch. As the Australian megastar gears up to star in Extraction 3, and also make a return to the character of Thor, it is reported that Subversion will come first. Here’s everything we know about the movie so far.
What Is The Plot of Subversion?
Described as a “Die Hard on a submarine” style thriller, Subversion focuses on a once-promising Naval commander (played by Hemsworth) who is coerced into operating a risky submarine that transports illicit goods across international waters by a cartel-like organization. As the official logline reveals; “Thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the man must out-maneuver blockades and navigate perilous threats both in and outside of the submarine.” With prior intense projects under his belt, such as 7500, in which Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a pilot trapped in his cockpit, Patrick Vollrath has deftly demonstrated his abilities for siege-esque, contained thrillers.
Although Subversion will serve as screenwriter Andrew Ferguson’s first produced script, his material has frequently made its way onto the prestigious Black List (an annual survey of the “most-liked” motion picture screenplays not yet produced). So, it seems like the movie is in good hands across the board. But will it stand tall next to Die Hard, one of the most iconic action movies of all time?
What Its Die Hard Comparison Could Mean for the Future of Chris Hemsworth
After Die Hard was released in 1988, Bruce Willis became an overnight superstar. Prior to his role as the cocky and heroic John McClane, he was known for comedy parts, and more associated with television thanks to his role in the hit show Moonlighting. The glaring success of Die Hard not only swerved his career in another direction, it also reinvented the action genre and what it stood for. Willis portrayed a much-less larger than life character than the likes of the heavily-muscled and ripped Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, thus making room for the “every man”. Not only that, but Die Hard spawned a plethora of copycat movies that ran right until the late 90s.
After Die Hard, movies began being marketed as things like Die Hard on a bus (Speed), Die Hard on a boat (Under Siege), and Die Hard at a hockey game (Sudden Death). And this usually worked, with these movies pulling in impressive numbers at the box office. However, by the 2000s, this craze had tapered off as the action genre had taken a turn more towards vehicle-heavy movies like Gone in 60 Seconds and The Fast and the Furious franchise. Then, in the 2010s, Gun-Fu found its way to Hollywood with the likes of John Wick, and hand-to-hand combat movies like Extraction and Nobody have also prospered. So, why is Subversion being touted as another Die Hard on a “insert previously unused backdrop here”?
The first thing to note is that Chris Hemsworth likely doesn’t need any marketing strategies to draw audiences into his films. Only two months after its debut on Netflix, Extraction 2 racked up 129.3M views, making its way to a number 10 spot on the streaming giant’s top 10 most popular films list. Furthermore, his part in the MCU has been central, making him a major box office draw. However, if Subversion is to live up to the classic that is Die Hard, Hemsworth will need to lean into some comedy as well. Although Die Hard wasn’t an action comedy per se, Willis carried the movie with a cheeky charisma that helped lighten the load. If Hemsworth pulls this off, he could be well on his way to becoming the biggest action star of today. And from his rendition as Thor and his role in the zany movie Vacation, he has already proven he has some solid comedic chops.
When Will Subversion Be Released?
As of writing, Subversion is in pre-production and only has Chris Hemsworth attached to star. However, filming is set to begin in the fall of 2025 so more names will likely land soon. This means it could potentially release in late 2026. With Amazon MGM funding the movie, it is unknown if it will get a cinematic release or head to Prime Video. Before then, Hemsworth will share the screen with Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Mark Ruffalo, and Halle Berry in the crime thriller, Crime 101.
Read Next: Every Die Hard Movie, Ranked
Follow Us
