17 years ago, a Russell Crowe spy thriller arrived in theaters to minimal acclaim, but a new movie in the same genre can right the wrongs of the Academy Award-winning actor’s previous failed attempts. Crowe and Gladiator director Ridley Scott reteamed for Body of Lies, a film that underperformed when it was released in 2008, but an upcoming spy flick could make up for it.
Russell Crowe’s next spy thriller, The Billion Dollar Spy, comes from director Amma Asante. Based on the David E. Hoffman 2015 non-fiction book of the same name, the picture will star Crowe in the lead role alongside Oscar-nominee Vera Farmiga. With The Billion Dollar Spy set to go into pre-production, I think the adaptation offers Crowe the chance to redeem his spy missteps of the past.
Russell Crowe’s Upcoming The Billion Dollar Spy Can Be The Movie Body Of Lies Should’ve Been
The New Spy Thriller Has The Chance To Redeem Crowe’s Previous Failed Attempt
Russell Crowe is no stranger to the spy genre. The Oscar-winning actor has appeared in many spy flicks before, including The Nice Guys (2016) and State of Play (2009). However, his highest-profile entry into the genre was Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott’s 2008 team-up, Body of Lies, a film that ultimately didn’t live up to the hype and failed to set itself apart in a crowded field of spy movies. Crowe’s latest thriller, The Billion Dollar Spy, has the opportunity to make up for this mistake.
I can envision Russell Crowe’s latest spy conceit, The Billion Dollar Spy, becoming the film Body of Lies failed to be. They share similarities, including being based on books. Body of Lies is in a contemporary era, while The Billion Dollar Spy is set during the Cold War. The key difference between the two source materials is that The Billion Dollar Spy is based on a true story. Crowe portrays Adolf Tolkachev, one of the Pentagon’s inside men. I believe the real-world implications behind The Billion Dollar Spy will add the significant weight Body of Lies lacked.
Why Body Of Lies Wasn’t A Bigger Hit In 2008
Poor Reception Doomed The Ridley Scott Picture From The Start
Directed by Ridley Scott and sporting an ensemble cast that featured Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, and a young Oscar Isaac, Body of Lies seemed primed to light the box office on fire and make an awards push in late 2008. However, that was not the case, and the film has faded into the cinematic ether, especially for a DiCaprio film, in the nearly 20 years since its release. This begs the question: why was Body of Lies not a bigger hit?
The Billion Dollar Spy can capture the magic that Body of Lies failed to for Russell Crowe.
Body of Lies couldn’t overcome subpar word of mouth despite a talented cast and crew. With a 55% Rotten score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an ever-so-slightly more favorable grade from audiences, Body of Lies failed at the box office and has become one of the more forgettable outings in Scott, DiCaprio, and Crowe’s respective careers. The Billion Dollar Spy can capture the magic that Body of Lies failed to for Russell Crowe, delivering a more compelling spy thriller for the performer.
Russell Crowe
- Birthname
-
Russell Ira Crowe
- Birthdate
-
April 7, 1964
- Birthplace
-
Wellington, New Zealand
- Notable Projects
-
Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, The Nice Guys, Les Misérables, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
