Joe Carnahan, director of the Netflix hit “The RIP,” a Quentin Tarantino favorite, has set his next film, reteaming with the streamer on another action thriller, “The Operator,” starring Mark Wahlberg.
The film follows a former elite operative (Wahlberg) who now works for the CIA as a covert fixer. When he is ordered to protect his most hated enemy, the mission becomes a dangerous fight for survival.
The script was written by Harrison Query (“Heads of State”). Query sold his original spec to Netflix in a highly competitive bidding war in December 2025.
I doubt Tarantino’s affection for “The RIP,” or his connection to the Netflix-produced ‘Cliff Booth’ movie, had anything to do with Carnahan’s project getting greenlit. Still, his glowing endorsement of the film—he called it one of the best he’s seen this decade—went viral earlier this year, despite the movie receiving mixed reviews.
As for Wahlberg, he has had a rough stretch of films spanning his last seven movies, many of which went straight to streaming, including “Me Time,” “The Family Plan,” “Arthur the King,” “The Union,” “Flight Risk,” “Play Dirty,” and “Balls Up.”
Carnahan’s 2002 breakout “Narc” remains the best thing he’s done—raw, intense, and stylish. It may be Ray Liotta’s best performance since “Goodfellas.” Everything since has lived in its shadow. Carnahan has leaned hard into pulpy action ever since. “Copshop” was entertaining, while “The Grey” is a well-made survivalist flick. He made “The A-Team” better than it had any right to be—a semi-compliment. His other notable directing credits include “Smokin’ Aces,” “Stretch,” and “Boss Level.”
Before “The RIP,” Carnahan seemed to be coasting a bit, coming off two straight duds, “Shadow Force” and “Not Without Hope.” But “The RIP” was a major Netflix hit, reportedly their second-most-watched movie of 2026, and has put Carnahan back in Hollywood’s good graces—or, more specifically, streaming’s, since I doubt “The Operator,” much like “The RIP,” is intended for a theatrical release.
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