Chris Pratt's 2008 Comic Book Action Film Finds New Life on Streaming

Years before the John Wick franchise was born, another comic book-inspired action movie featuring a secret society of assassins was released to incredible box-office success and positive reviews. There was talk of a sequel, but none was produced. Years later, the film has developed a strong cult following, while the John Wick franchise has emerged as something of a cultural sensation with more than $1 billion in global box-office revenue. The 2008 movie is witnessing another streaming resurgence as its 20th anniversary nears and fans of the John Wick franchise await its fifth installment.

The movie in question featured a stellar cast that included Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and Chris Pratt in one of his earliest tentpole appearances. The main character, however, was played by James McAvoy. This was before he was cast as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men reboot series, and was best known for his roles in the Chronicles of Narnia series and in the Oscar-winning drama Atonement. The movie follows a man who discovers that he belongs to a secret society of assassins who carry out missions at the behest of a mysterious ancient artifact. It was based on a comic book series by Mark Millar, who utilized a similar template in his Kingsman series, which inspired a successful movie franchise.