Steven Soderbergh reteams with Kimi and Presence writer David Koepp for a new twist on the married spies plot.
Soderbergh has once again teamed up with screenwriter David Koepp, who also wrote the upcoming Jurassic World: Rebirth, for a film about an unconventional marriage. The movie, titled Black Bag, looks to have a plot resembling Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where two spies are married to each other. However, there is a bit of a twist as both know who each other are, and the conflict comes from the wife being suspected of becoming a traitor. Focus Features has just released the trailer for the thriller.
Black Bag stars Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan. The official plot synopsis reads, “From Director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife, Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.” Casey Silver and Greg Jacobs are on board as producers of the film.
Soderbergh and Blanchett previously worked together on his 2006 noir thriller The Good German. Additionally, Blanchett played a part in the film Ocean’s 8, part of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11 franchise. Soderbergh produced Ocean’s 8 but didn’t direct that one. He and Fassbender previously worked together on his 2011 action thriller Haywire. And in addition to collaborating on Presence, Soderbergh and Koepp also worked together on the 2022 thriller Kimi.
Steven Soderbergh’s latest movie, Presence, screened at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The supernatural thriller follows a family who moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they are not alone. Our own Chris Bumbray enjoyed the film but admitted that it might not be for everyone. “While its experimental nature means that Presence will be one of Soderbergh’s more niche efforts, it’s still technically impeccable and moving once you settle into it,” Bumbray wrote. “It’s an interesting exercise for a director who never fails to innovate.”
Black Bag opens in theaters on March 14, 2024. Focus will release the film in the US, and Universal Pictures International will handle international distribution.
