‘The Formula’: John Boyega To Play Getaway Driver Opposite Robert De Niro In Netflix Thriller

How cool would it be if we could get John Boyega and Robert De Niro in a ‘Purge‘ movie? That’s unlikely to ever happen, but how about a crime film from the director of The First Purge? Netflix is making that a reality right now.

Deadline reports Boyega and De Niro will star in Netflix’s The Formula, to be directed by The First Purge filmmaker Gerard McMurray. The film centers on a Formula One driver who turns getaway driver to save the lives of his family. Not a particularly fresh idea, but with these folks involved, who cares?

McMurray is a talented director. Before he helmed The First Purge he made a lot of noise at Sundance with Burning Sands, which explored the hazing culture at historically black colleges. That film ended up a successful original feature for Netflix and it’s good to see that relationship continuing.

Boyega is coming off the acclaimed Small Axe drama, Red, White, and Blue. De Niro? Ummm..well, he did have The War with Grandpa so he’s sorta due for something meatier, and Netflix gave him one of the best roles he’s had in a while in The Irishman.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.