After the WB Acquisition, Netflix’s Priority No. 1: Revive the Henry Cavill Franchise That’s the Perfect James Bond Replacement
Netflix is muscling into pole position to acquire Warner Bros. despite a Paramount push — and its top priority should be clear: revive Guy Ritchie's The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with Henry Cavill front and center. The slick, Bond-adjacent caper is a franchise-in-waiting.
There is a lot of chatter about Netflix trying to muscle its way into Warner Bros. territory right now. If that ever actually happens — and yes, this is with Paramount reportedly poking around too — Netflix would be crazy not to dust off one specific title and build it out properly: Guy Ritchie and Henry Cavill's The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Why this is the spy play that makes sense
- Cavill gives the effortless, movie-star spy energy that people keep saying they want in the next 007. He has literally been floated as a Bond successor for years.
- The brand is familiar. It comes from the 1964 MGM TV series, so you are not starting from zero.
- The 2015 movie popped on streaming after a soft theatrical run, which tells you audiences found it later. Collider has noted that second life online.
- Box office underperformed (about $110 million worldwide on a $75 million budget, per Box Office Mojo), but that math matters a lot less on a global platform where the algorithm rewards rewatchable, stylish genre fare.
- Bond is in limbo. There is no new 007 actor announced since Daniel Craig walked away, and the next film is a big question mark. That gap is just sitting there.
- Tons of ways to expand it: a straight sequel, a limited series, or a hybrid model. Ritchie could come back, or Cavill could be paired with fresh co-stars and new directors.
Quick refresher: what the 2015 movie actually is
Guy Ritchie set The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in the Cold War and cast Henry Cavill as smooth CIA operator Napoleon Solo, Armie Hammer as intense KGB agent Illya Kuryakin, and Alicia Vikander as Gaby Teller, who gets pulled into their mission. It is a slick, playful espionage caper with just enough bite to stand out from the pack.
The streaming reality that changes the calculus
This one did not light up theaters in 2015, but it quietly turned into a streaming favorite later on. That matters. Netflix in particular thrives on handsome, globetrotting action that people binge on weekends. Market this as the spy franchise you watch while Bond figures itself out, and you have a lane.
And if Netflix actually ended up controlling Warner Bros. IP, it could keep U.N.C.L.E. parked next to its other action pillars and build a proper spy universe over multiple entries. The reach is there; the audience is there; the character is there. It is the definition of low-hanging fruit.
Where to watch it in the U.S. right now
The rights have bounced around. After doing solid traffic on Netflix for a while, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. moved to Prime Video and has been streaming there since October 27, 2025 (as reported by Collider). That hop is exactly why long-term ownership of Warner Bros. titles would matter for Netflix — it could keep a revived U.N.C.L.E. in-house instead of watching it migrate.
The bottom line
If Netflix really is positioning itself for a Warner Bros. play, prioritizing a proper The Man from U.N.C.L.E. revival should be near the top of the list. Cavill is still a global draw, the IP has a built-in hook, and the 2015 movie has already proven there is an audience on streaming. Do the sequel. Or do the series. Just do it while Bond is taking its time.