Extraction 3 - Director, Cast And More Info
This post contains spoilers for "Extraction" and "Extraction 2."
Back when everyone was stuck inside during the global pandemic, we apparently did nothing but stream the heck out of Netflix's 2020 actioner "Extraction." Starring Chris Hemsworth as black market mercenary Tyler Rake, the film became the most-streamed original movie on the platform, making a sequel all but certain. And wouldn't you know, Netflix churned out a follow-up in no time, debuting "Extraction 2" in 2023 and doubling down on the unrelenting action sequences of the first movie. Whereas the first film delivered a 12-minute "one-take" sequence, the sequel featured a full 21 minutes of unbroken action as Rake battled his way out of a Georgian prison, taking down innumerable thugs and a few helicopters on his way.
Despite the fact that "Extraction 2" was an exhausting and dour return to the world of Tyler Rake, it clearly managed to rake in (sorry) the viewing figures that Netflix was hoping for. According to the platform, the sequel amassed almost 43 million views (88.38 million hours viewed divided by 2.07 runtime hours) in its first week on the service, which was more than enough for the company to green-light a third film. At the TUDUM event on June 17, 2023 Hemsworth took to the stage to officially announce "Extraction 3."
Whether you like it or not, then, it seems we'll be getting a steady supply of Tyler Rake in the coming years. So, you might as well get up to date on what exactly to expect from the next film, when it's coming out, and whether director Sam Hargrave will just go all-out and make the next film one long take from start to finish.
When might Extraction 3 premiere?
Sam Hargrave, a stunt performer who made his directorial debut with the first "Extraction," had previously spoken about his desire to make a Tyler Rake trilogy. But at the time, it was unclear whether "Extraction 2" would prove popular enough to warrant yet another movie in the series. After all, we basically had nothing better to do when the first one came out. Who was to say whether the return of Hemsworth's ex-military badass would court enough attention when we weren't stuck inside?
Then, "Extraction 2" hit Netflix and, much like Tyler Rake himself, dominated all competition. "Extraction" proved itself to be the burgeoning franchise that refused to die, leading to the official "Extraction 3" announcement at the TUDUM event. But there was no confirmation of a release date at the time, and since then, Netflix has yet to announce one.
Sam Hargrave spoke to BroBible's Post-Credit Podcast back in May of 2023, and revealed that a story was "in development" for a third movie, so we know work started on the sequel before its official announcement. But beyond that, details about its actual release date remain scant. Considering there were three years between "Extraction" and "Extraction 2," we'll likely see the third movie within a similar timeframe. The pandemic likely slowed the release of the second movie, and the SAG strike will no doubt hinder production on the third film, but we're hoping for a similar turnaround.
What are the plot details of Extraction 3?
The ending of "Extraction 2" certainly left the door open for a new mission, with Tyler Rake and his teammate Nik (Golshifteh Farahani) being offered their freedom from prison by Idris Elba's Alcott, who alludes to a shady boss figure who's in need of Rake's services and is evidently "a gnarly motherf****r." While nothing has yet been confirmed, when "Extraction 3" does arrive, it's likely that the identity of this mysterious figure will be revealed, alongside a story that focuses on whatever equally gnarly mission he has in mind. Sam Hargrave also hinted at Alcott being a returning figure when he spoke with /Film's Ryan Scott in June 2023, saying, "Perhaps, who knows if Idris is involved, that'd be amazing and see these two expand this 'Extraction' universe."
As of now, Hargrave and writer Joe Russo haven't revealed any specific details about the threequel's plot, but it seems as long as Elba agrees to return, we'll be seeing a lot more of his character. The director also told Total Film, "I have an idea, but I won't give it away here." So there's a plan in place, but at this point we don't have any concrete details about what that is.
Of course, you can expect a trickle of new information over the coming months as Netflix tries to keep its action franchise on the forefront of fans' minds, especially if the actor's strike continues. We'll be updating this article as and when that happens.
Who is in the cast of Extraction 3?
At this point, the only actor confirmed to return is Chris Hemsworth himself. Not only did the star make the official "Extraction 3" announcement at the 2023 TUDUM event, he's obviously the man around which the entire franchise revolves. Hemsworth also told Total Film:
"I love playing the character. I love this world. I love having something else outside of Marvel that's amassed a bit of a following, something more in the real world. I honestly feel like we made a better film than the first one. That's rare in the franchise world. We'd be remiss not to have a crack at another one."
The "Extraction" movies are very much the product of Hemsworth and Sam Hargraves' dedicated work, so the Aussie actor was always going to be a part of the third movie, and his enthusiasm is clearly there for it.
Otherwise, there's been no official confirmation of any other cast members. Idris Elba is, of course, very likely to be involved if Netflix can strike a deal with the actor. Elba seemed to be getting more involved with Apple when his production company Green Door Pictures struck a first-look deal with Apple TV+ back in 2020. But as of 2023, following the release of Elba's Apple TV+ show "Hijack," that deal has apparently run its course (per Deadline). The actor has maintained his relationship with Netflix throughout, starring in the streamer's "Luther: The Fallen Sun" in early 2023, and of course showing up in "Extraction 2." All of which bodes well for his return in the third movie.
It's also likely we'll see Golshifteh Farahani's Nik return as she was also seemingly enlisted by Elba's Alcott at the end of "Extraction 2." But again, nothing's confirmed at this stage.
Who is the director of Extraction 3?
While there's still a lot of uncertainty surrounding "Extraction 3," you can bet that Sam Hargrave will be returning to direct the threequel. The previous two films are basically the result of Hargrave's years of experience as a stunt performer being channeled into his foray into directing, and Netflix would be foolish to meddle with the formula now. Since doubling for Liev Schreiber and Taylor Kitsch in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Hargrave went on to double for Chris Evans's Captain America in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films. That's alongside his experience creating fight choreography and his dedication to staying in peak physical shape for his work on the "Extraction" movies, so as to ensure he can get involved and work as a camera operator amid the fast-paced action. All of which made him the perfect director for the "Extraction" films.
Thankfully, the streamer seems to recognize this, with Hargrave joining Chris Hemsworth on-stage at TUDUM 2023 to make the "Extraction 3" announcement. Considering he also previously revealed his desire to complete the Tyler Rake trilogy and confirmed his plan for the third movie, his involvement is practically guaranteed at this point.
Who are the writers and producers of Extraction 3?
The first "Extraction" was written by MCU veteran and unabashed AI fan Joe Russo, and was based on the graphic novel "Ciudad," which Russo co-wrote alongside his brother Anthony Russo, Ande Parks, Fernando León González, and Eric Skillman. Joe Russo returned to pen "Extraction 2," while both he and his brother produced both films alongside Chris Hemsworth.
Back in April 2023, Russo told Collider, "there's certainly room for an 'Extraction 3,'" adding, "There are some surprises in 'Extraction 2' that could open up the world of 'Extraction.'" That suggests the man behind the aggressively mediocre "The Gray Man" has ambitions for an "Extraction" shared universe. Could Russo choose to write one of the potential spin-offs instead of the threequel? Possibly. Or perhaps he'll pen every single script in this hypothetical "Extraction"-verse, providing us with a veritable smorgasbord of kind-of-cool actioners in the coming years.
Again, in the absence of any confirmed details, things remain unclear at this point, but you can bet the Russos will have at least something to do with "Extraction 3," even if it's just in an executive producer capacity.
Has Extraction 3 released a trailer?
Nope. Sorry to harsh your "Extraction" high, but as it's early days, there's currently not even a teaser for the next installment in the "Extraction" franchise. The film hasn't even begun shooting yet, so until Sam Hargrave and his crew get to work, you won't be seeing much in the way of new "Extraction" footage.
You can, however, expect Netflix to churn out a ton of footage as it becomes available in the form of behind-the-scenes clips and first-look featurettes. Prior to "Extraction 2" being released, the company put out an "Extraction 2" first-look that gave us a good sense of what to expect from the then-upcoming sequel and how Hargrave and company were trying to top their previous effort. We're sure there'll be plenty more like this to come when filming for "Extraction 3" gets underway, as well as the usual teasers and trailers, and teasers for the teaser trailers, etc.
What is Extraction 3 rated?
"Extraction 3" hasn't yet been rated, but this is one area where, despite the lack of concrete info, we're pretty sure we know what's going to happen. "Extraction" was rated R for "Strong bloody violence, Language, and brief drug use" while the sequel received the same rating for "Language" and "Strong/Bloody Violence." As far as a good description of the "Extraction" movies goes, you won't get much better than "Strong/Bloody Violence," and there's no way the third installment will be any less brutal than its predecessors.
If anything, the violence is probably going to ramp up next time around. "Extraction 2" went all in on rake and garden tool-related violence, including a scene where Georgian gangster Davit (Tornike Bziava) has his throat slashed by a shovel, before he's then hit with ... an even bigger shovel. It was all part of Sam Hargrave's stated mission to top the first film in the franchise by bringing "at least twice the action" for the sequel. With "Extraction 3," you can bet the director will be looking to once again outdo himself, meaning we'll likely see a lot more horticultural-related violence in the threequel, making the R rating all but certain.
What about those Extraction 3 spin-offs?
Aside from "Extraction 3," there are a couple of potential spin-offs that have been floated by those associated with the franchise. Firstly, there's one "Extraction 2" scene that sets the stage for a Yaz and Nik spin-off. The brother/sister duo played by Adam Bessa and Golshifteh Farahani, respectively, are Tyler Rake's compatriots, providing similarly expert combat support to the Aussie mercenary. Unfortunately, Yaz didn't make it out of the sequel alive, having been shot by Zurab (Tornike Gogrichiani) during one of the film's firefights.
But that doesn't necessarily mean we won't see more of him. Hargrave revealed to Collider that the "Extraction 2" scene where Nik empathizes with Ketevan Radiani (Tinatin Dalakishvili) "hint[ed] towards her and Yaz's own spin-off movie," adding, "we're gonna get to follow them." There's been no further word on such a spin-off as yet, but if Joe Russo follows through on his threat for an entire "Extraction" shared universe, you can bet a Nik and Yaz prequel spin-off will form part of it. That likely won't happen until "Extraction 3" is out, though.
Otherwise, a spin-off featuring Idris Elba's Alcott has been hinted at, with Anthony Russo telling the Radio Times that when he watched Elba's performance he thought, "Oh, geez, there's more fun to be had with him!" The producer added, "That's one thing we really like – is figuring out how the unexpected characters have narratives that we haven't imagined." Meanwhile, after talking about Alcott as a character, Hargrave told the outlet, "there's potential for other characters [to] go off with their own movies."
Again, it's all very mysterious at this point and it's likely that if these spin-offs do materialize, it will be after "Extraction 3" has debuted and solidified the saga as a reliably popular franchise.