Netflix has released the first trailer for Spenser Confidential. This is the latest collaboration between director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg. The two previously worked together on movies such as Lone Survivor, Patriots Day and Deepwater Horizon. This time around, Wahlberg is paired up with Us and Black Panther star Winston Duke for what looks to be both a throwback to cop movies of old and a very modern action/thriller.
The trailer kicks off with Mark Wahlberg as Spenser, getting out of prison, but not before getting into a sizable fist fight, with rapper Post Malone, rather surprisingly, amongst them. Things don’t go particularly well for him in his first hours outside of lock-up, as his girlfriend has moved on and he’s got an unexpected roommate cramping his style. And, as we come to find out, there are some very dangerous people after him. It then turns into something of an odd-couple buddy-cop comedy/thriller. Crooked cops. Conspiracies. Action. The works.
Past collaborations between Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg have been quite serious, as they deal with real-life, dramatic situations. Here, it looks like the two of them are having fun. Berg directed The Rundown much earlier in his career and this feels, at least tonally, more in line with that type of movie. The cast also includes Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method), Iliza Shlesinger (Instant Family), Marc Maron (Joker) and Bokeem Woodbine (Spider-Man: Homecoming). It is based on the best-selling novel Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland by Ace Atkins. The screenplay was penned by Sean O’Keefe and Brian Helgeland.
Spenser Confidential centers on Spenser (Mark Wahlberg), an ex-cop who has a reputation for making trouble. He’s just gotten out of prison and is leaving Boston for good. Or so he thinks, as he gets roped into helping his old boxing coach and mentor, Henry (Alan Arkin), with an amateur named Hawk (Winston Duke) who has a great deal of potential. Hawk is a brash, no-nonsense MMA fighter who is certain he’ll be a tougher opponent than Spenser ever was. Things get complicated when two of Spenser’s former colleagues are murdered, which leads him to team up with Hawk and his ex-girlfriend Cissy (Iliza Shlesinger) to help him bring those responsible to justice.
This is just part of Netflix’s content plan for 2020. They’ve been ramping up production on flashy originals in recent years and they’re set to spend more than $17 billion this year alone. While the production budget hasn’t been revealed, this looks like it could very well have been an expensive endeavor. But since the company doesn’t rely on box office for something to be considered a success, this could be a less risky proposition in their hands. Neal H. Mortiz, Toby Ascher, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Peter Berg serve as producers on the project. Spenser Confidential arrives on March 6 on the Netflix streaming service. Be sure to check out the new trailer for yourself.
