EXCLUSIVE: A wild pre-holiday auction for a Ryan Reynolds global heist comedy vehicle is coming to a close, with Netflix winning the deal. Deadline revealed the untitled pitch last week, when the creatives did the rounds to pitch directly — something that hasn’t happened much since the pandemic –and the 7-figure bids began hitting the table. Dana Fox will write the script, and Simon Kinberg is producing with Reynolds.

From left: Ryan Reynolds, Dana Fox & Simon Kinberg

The pitch is untitled, but I’ve heard it has great parts for an ensemble in the spirit of an Oceans Eleven. It is also set in the international arena. The idea originated from Fox and Kinberg, and they pitched it to Reynolds and Maximum Effort.

There were eight buyers in the mix, and that whittled down to five and finally four before Netflix prevailed. Sources said Fox will be paid mid 7-figures to write it and the producing deals are high 7-figures. Reynolds and his Maximum Effort banner, and Kinberg and Audrey Chon are producing through their Genre Films banner. Fox is also producing.  Her credits include Cruella and The Lost City, and the TV series Home Before Dark and Ben And Kate.

The deal furthers the relationship Reynolds and Kinberg developed on the Deadpool films, which they’re producing. They are finishing the third one right now after pausing for the strike. Reynolds most recently worked with Netflix on The Adam Project, and before that on Red Notice. This is one of two projects Reynolds has in the marketplace, as he plans to team with Channing Tatum on Calamity Hustle. That one has not yet landed.

CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman rep Kinberg; Reynolds is WME and Sloane Offer; Fox is UTA and Myman Greenspan.