Netflix’s Latest Crime Thriller Secures Top Hollywood Star for Leading Role

You know how every streaming service seems to have a checklist for their thrillers? Big name actors, global conspiracy, some 'inspired by true events' disclaimer, and—of course—a dash of improbable international intrigue. Well, Netflix just checked all those boxes and then some with their upcoming movie The Big Fix. This one sounds both straight out of a Hollywood executive’s fever dream and genuinely intriguing.

Star Power and a Familiar Director

Mark Wahlberg and Riz Ahmed are teaming up for this one, with director Baltasar Kormákur calling the shots. If that director-name rings a bell, it's because Wahlberg and Kormákur have history—they worked together on Contraband and 2 Guns, which, by the way, pulled in a handy $131 million worldwide (yes, people watched it, Denzel helped, but still).

The Plot: Undercover Goals and Crooked Goals

The Big Fix is apparently 'inspired by a true story,' which always makes you wonder how much of it actually happened and how much is, uh, Hollywood garnish. Anyway, Wahlberg will play a former Interpol agent who's now biding his time at FIFA (because, naturally, Interpol experience makes you perfect for soccer admin work). He stumbles across a match-fixing scandal so big it's basically a global headline waiting to happen.

Here's the twist: Riz Ahmed plays a hustler, working with the Chinese Triads, with the not-so-small ambition of rigging football matches around the world. Think of it as a high-stakes game of 'catch me if you can,' except with cleats and suitcases full of cash.

Who's Making It Happen?

The script comes from Guy Bolton and Justin Haythe. Kormákur is pulling double duty as director and producer, joined by Peter Chernin and David Ready. There are also a few familiar names as executive producers: Bennett Walsh and Jenno Topping.

• Main Cast: Mark Wahlberg (ex-Interpol, now FIFA), Riz Ahmed (match-fixer with Triad ties)
• Director: Baltasar Kormákur
• Writers: Guy Bolton, Justin Haythe
• Production: Chernin Entertainment, Netflix
• Producers: Baltasar Kormákur, Peter Chernin, David Ready
• Executive Producers: Bennett Walsh, Jenno Topping
• Production Start: Don’t hold your breath—shooting isn't until 2026.

The Talent Resume (Because Hollywood Loves Trophies)

Riz Ahmed has been collecting kudos lately—he got serious critical love for Relay and grabbed an Emmy for The Night Of. He’s also set to pop up in Iñárritu’s next film, Digger. Wahlberg, on the other hand, just did The Family Plan 2 and will be hanging around Netflix again soon in The Operator.

The Netflix Assembly Line

Just to add another layer: Netflix and Chernin Entertainment are really deep in the crime-thriller business together. Before The Big Fix even started pre-production, they’d already finished (but hadn’t released) Kormákur’s next movie, Apex, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton. That one is actually landing first—expect it April 24, 2026. According to reports, as soon as Apex wrapped, Netflix and Chernin were like, 'Cool, what’s next?' And here we are, cueing up Wahlberg vs. Ahmed.

'It becomes this globe-trotting cat-and-mouse game between Wahlberg’s character and Ahmed’s, with both trying to stay one step ahead—sometimes with a soccer ball, sometimes with a suitcase of bribes. You know, just normal FIFA stuff.'

The Takeaway

If you like your crime thrillers slick, international, and based on 'true stories' that you’ll probably end up googling to see what really happened, this one packs a lot into the pitch. It’s also Wahlberg and Ahmed, so even if the story goes full Netflix-glossy, these two should deliver. Just don’t expect to stream it any time soon—2026 is when the cameras even start rolling.