Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o Spy Thriller ‘355’ Gets 2021 Release Date

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Universal Pictures has dated its spy thriller “355,” starring Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Diane Kruger and Fan Bingbing, for a Jan. 15, 2021, release.

Simon Kinberg is set to direct from a script he co-wrote with Theresa Rebeck. The movie follows a group of spies from international agencies around the world. These women must bond together, overcoming their suspicions and conflicts, to stop an event from occurring that could thrust the world into chaos. A new faction is formed – code-named “,” a name they adopt from the first female spy in the American Revolution. Sebastian Stan and Edgar Ramirez also co-star.

Producers are Chastain and Kelly Carmichael for Chastain’s Freckle Films and by Kinberg for his Genre Films. The film is executive produced by Richard Hewitt (“Bohemian Rhapsody”).

Chastain proposed the idea for a female-led spy film while working with Kinberg on this summer’s “Dark Phoenix.” The cast came together during 2018 with CAA Film Finance brokering the deal and Film Nation handling international sales.

“355” hit a hurdle, however, when a whistleblower accused Fan of tax evasion. The actress stepped out of the limelight in her home country of China, and admitted to wrongdoing on social media. The spy thriller will mark Fan’s first big-screen role since the scandal.

Universal had already dated the film for Jan. 15, 2021, as an untitled Universal event movie. It’s currently the only release on the date.