Mark Wahlberg to Star in Netflix Action Thriller "The Operator"

In a heated bidding war, Netflix has locked down rights to "The Operator," an action thriller spec from Harrison Query, with Mark Wahlberg attached to star.

The film has Wahlberg playing an ex-Tier One Operator who earns a living as one of the CIA’s invisible clean-up men. When he’s ordered to shepherd his most hated target to safety, the mission turns into a high-stakes cat and mouse game for survival.

For Wahlberg and his producing partner, Stephen Levinson, "The Operator" marks a continuing partnership with Netflix following work on starring vehicles for the actor including "Spenser Confidential," "The Union," and "Me Time".

The Picture Company partners Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona will produce along with Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson and their Municipal Pictures banner, as well as Scott Glassgold and his 12:01 Films, with Ǫuery exec producing.

A director search is currently underway.

Remarkably, the sale is Query’s second in just two weeks at Netflix, which just ordered his Joel Edgerton actioner "Trigger Point" straight to series.

Jeremy Saulnier is on board to direct and exec produce, with Query to showrun and EP the show he created.

Most recently seen starring in Lionsgate’s "Flight Risk," Apple’s "Family Plan" films and Amazon MGM’s "Play Dirty," Wahlberg has a packed slate ahead with films including Peter Farrelly’s Amazon MGM action comedy "Balls Up," the crime thriller "By Any Means" from The Inspection‘s Elegance Bratton, "Ted:The Animated Series" at Peacock, and a new Stephen Chbosky flick for Apple TV.

It’s been a banner year for Query, who earlier this year got competitive bidding going over “Code Black,” a short story he sold to Amazon MGM, where he will be adapting, with Jake Gyllenhaal starring and producing alongside Sixth & Idaho and Glassgold’s 12:01 Films.

Earlier this year, he saw "Heads of State," his Amazon MGM actioner starring John Cena and Idris Elba, establish itself as Prime Video’s fourth-most-streamed movie of all time.

Up next for him is Paramount+/101 Studios’ JonBenét Ramsey limited series, starring Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen, where he’s co-creator and EP.