Full Breakdown
Charlize Theron and Baltasar Kormákur Launch Development of Thriller *Six Clean Kills* for Universal Pictures
5/7/2026, 11:37:28 PM
Project Overview: New Universal Thriller
Baltasar Kormákur will direct and co-produce the upcoming film *Six Clean Kills* for Universal Pictures. Charlize Theron is attached as a producer through her Secret Menu first-look deal with the studio and is being considered for a starring role. The screenplay is being adapted from an unpublished novel by author-screenwriter Stan Parish, who will also serve as executive producer. Production will be handled jointly by Kormákur’s Blueeyes Productions and Theron’s Secret Menu, with Universal overseeing development.
Recent Collaboration: Apex Success
The partnership follows the duo’s recent collaboration on the Netflix thriller *Apex*, which premiered on April 24, 2026. *Apex* debuted at No. 1 on Netflix’s global English-language film list and maintained the top spot on the platform’s Top Ten for two consecutive weeks. Viewership grew in the second week, reaching 40.8 million viewers, establishing a strong commercial track record for the Kormákur-Theron team.
Creative Leadership and Production Entities
- Baltasar Kormákur – Director, co-producer; represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Range Media Partners.
- Charlize Theron – Producer (Secret Menu) and potential lead; represented by CAA and the firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
- Stan Parish – Author of the source novel, script adapter, and executive producer; represented by CAA, The Book Group, and a consortium of literary agencies.
- Blueeyes Productions – Kormákur’s production banner.
- Secret Menu – Theron’s production company operating under a first-look arrangement with Universal Pictures.
Studio Oversight and Development Team
Universal’s development is being managed by Senior Vice President of Production Development Ryan Jones and Director of Production Development Christine Sun. Their roles include supervising the script adaptation, coordinating between the production companies, and guiding the project through Universal’s internal approval processes.
Performance Data from Apex: Contextual Benchmark
- Release date: April 24, 2026 (Netflix)
- Initial ranking: No. 1 on global English-language list
- Top Ten status: Two weeks consecutively
- Viewership: 40.8 million viewers by the end of the second week
These metrics provide a quantitative benchmark for expectations surrounding *Six Clean Kills*.
Current Commitments of Principal Talent
While *Six Clean Kills* is in development, Theron is actively filming the Amazon MGM Studios thriller *Tyrant*. Simultaneously, Kormákur is producing the Netflix film *The Big Fix*, starring Mark Wahlberg and Riz Ahmed. Their concurrent schedules indicate that *Six Clean Kills* will likely enter principal photography after the completion of these projects.
Upcoming Milestones
The next publicly confirmed step is the delivery of a final script draft by Stan Parish, followed by casting decisions and a tentative production start date pending the conclusion of Theron’s work on *Tyrant* and Kormákur’s involvement in *The Big Fix*. No official release window has been announced.
