‘John Wick’ Meets ‘Slow Horses’ in the 115-Minute Hit Being Removed From HBO Max

Not long after the breakout success of John Wick, one of its co-directors made a similar movie that many believed could be part of the same universe. Even though the movie in question was set during the Cold War, theories were floated about how its protagonist could have crossed paths with a young John Wick. The movie in question was directed by David Leitch, who was uncredited for his work on the original John Wick and has forged his own path after collaborating with Chad Stahelski on that iconic franchise-starter. Interestingly, his Cold War-set spy thriller was a bigger hit than the original John Wick, but despite talks of a sequel, none was produced.

The film is currently streaming on HBO Max in the United States, but only for a little while longer. Released in 2017, it follows a spy who must track down a list of mysterious individuals on the eve of the Berlin Wall's collapse. Charlize Theron played the lead role, two years after cementing herself as one of the biggest action stars in the world thanks to the critically acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road.

Theron was joined by an eclectic cast that also included James McAvoy, John Goodman, and Toby Jones. Interestingly, Jones was also a part of the ensemble of the critically acclaimed Cold War spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, headlined by Gary Oldman and featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Colin Firth, and others. Leitch's movie combined the intricate espionage thrills of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with the fluid action of John Wick — it received particular praise for a centerpiece one-take action sequence set on a stairway.

Here's How Long You Have Left to Watch the Spy Thriller on HBO Max

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We're talking, of course, about Atomic Blonde. The film received mostly positive reviews and is now sitting at a "Certified Fresh" 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website's consensus reads, "Atomic Blonde gets enough mileage out of its stylish action sequences — and ever-magnetic star — to make up for a narrative that's somewhat less hard-hitting than its protagonist." Atomic Blonde generated $100 million worldwide against a reported budget of $30 million.