Why an upcoming Netflix movie took 7 years ‘and $320,000,000’ to make-Tori Brazier at Venice Film Festival-Entertainment – Metro

We’re still waiting for more information on what might be one of Netflix’s most expensive ever films, due to release in 2025 (Picture: Simon and Schuster)

Netflix has a massive film in the works that’s helmed by some of Hollywood’s biggest directors, with a starry cast led by Millie Bobby Brown – and is reported to have cost an eye-watering $320,000,000 (£252million).

That rumoured number could increase yet too as fans are still waiting for an official release date announcement for The Electric State.

All that we know so far is the next blockbuster coming to us courtesy of Marvel alumni Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed two Avengers films among others, is reportedly scheduled for release in March 2025.

This is according to a Deadline source, but scant details have been released for the film to date, which is an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 graphic novel of the same name.

It was initially said to be slated for a late 2024 release, before this new, apparent update.

What we do know is that it follows Stranger Things star Brown, 20, as orphaned teenager Michelle who traverses the American West in search of her younger brother in a retro-futuristic past.

Joining her on the journey is a sweet but mysterious robot and an eccentric drifter. 

Millie Bobby Brown leads the A-list cast in the upcoming movie, The Electric State (Picture: Netflix)

She plays orphaned teen Michelle in the sci-fi film (Picture: Backgrid)

She’s joined in the cast by Chris Pratt, Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci and Jason Alexander, as well as the voice talents of Brian Cox, Anthony Mackie, Billy Bob Thornton and Megalopolis star Giancarlo Esposito.

On the book publisher’s website it, rather fittingly, describes the graphic novel, set in 1997, as ‘Stranger Things meets On the Road’.

The Russo brothers have been planning their movie version of it since 2017, when they acquired the rights to The Electric State pre-publication, after what was said to be a ‘heated bidding war’, reported Deadline at the time.

It was then announced in December of that year, with the siblings producing it through Russo Brothers Studio and The Flash’s Andy Muschietti directing.

Nearly seven years later and fans are yet to see a poster, official image or even teaser trailer for the movie which looks set to be Netflix’s next major blockbuster.

After all, the Russos helmed one of the streamer’s most watched films of all time in The Gray Man in 2022, which is sixth on the overall list of Netflix’s most popular films with 139,300,000 views in its first 91 days.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo initially snapped up the rights to the graphic novel way back in 2017, pre-publication (Picture: Simon and Schuster)

The Gray Man, also directed by Joe and Anthony Russo for Netflix, is one of the streamer’s most popular-ever films (Picture: Paul Abell/Netflix via AP)

It did so well that Netflix announced a sequel, bringing back star Ryan Gosling and the Russo brothers, just days after the first film’s release, although it remains in ‘active development’ two years on as the creatives try to figure out a story.

That may go some way to explain why the The Electric State’s budget has reportedly swollen to $320m, according to World of Reel, as well as its lengthy gestation period.

It’s also going to get a theatrical release before streaming on Netflix, given that it was initially a project that Universal won the distribution rights to back in 2020.

However, after three years between acquisition and a distribution deal for the Russos, a further lag happened after the deal fell through.

By June 2022, they were transferred to Netflix due to Universal’s change of heart over a run in cinemas.

There had also already been delays as the production waited for the Russo brothers to wrap on The Gray Man, and for Brown to finish shooting season four of Stranger Things.

Initially, the Russo brothers were going to produce only before taking on directorial duties as well (Picture: AGBO Films/Instagram)

The film started shooting back in 2022 (Picture: AGBO Films/Instagram)

Tragically, once filming finally got underway in October 2022, it was then paused a month in after a member of the crew died in a car crash off-set.

Principal photography later finished in February 2023.

However, it wasn’t until earlier this year that reshoots occurred, which happened between March and April.

So after years in the making, and seemingly with just six months to go before release, The Electric State is still rather a mystery to fans.

Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Joe and Anthony Russo and Netflix for comment.

This article was originally published on June 15.

The Electric State is yet to officially receive a release date, but is expected onNetflix in March 2025.

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