Sometimes one movie leads to another, and not in the form of a sequel. While shooting the X-Men movie DARK PHOENIX, star Jessica Chastain pitched an idea to writer/director Simon Kinberg about a team of espionage agents from across the globe who band together to tackle a nearly-invisible threat.

Now we are looking forward to the final result: THE 355, which stars Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Diane Kruger, Penélope Cruz, and Bingbing Fan, all directed by Kinberg. Check out the trailer for THE 355 below, and see why this high-energy espionage movie is set to rattle your concept of a spy thriller.

The latest trailer for THE 355 explains the title; it's a reference to the first female spy in the US, who worked for George Washington. The trailer sets up high stakes — a potential third world war — and introduces the coalition of intelligence agents from the US, UK, Germany, China, and Colombia that come together to oppose it. There's a sense of action tinged with a Bond-ready level of glitz and fashion, and suggestions of danger, betrayal, and loss.

We know, thanks to Universal, that the plot involves "a top-secret weapon" and a mercenary force, and that the four agents are being tracked by a Chinese figure who has some agenda of her own. We love tales of shadowy espionage, and THE 355 has all the ingredients in place for a fast-paced, complex thriller. And the story ranges from the US to Paris to Morocco and Shanghai, ensuring that this movie can satisfy some of your wanderlust even as it opens a window onto a fantasy world of spies.

Clearly, much of the appeal of THE 355 lies in seeing the cast at work. Jessica Chastain plays "wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown;" Diane Kruger plays her German rival, Marie; Khadijah, a sometimes-ally in MI6 — and a "cutting-edge computer specialist" is played by Lupita Nyong’o, and Penélope Cruz appears as "skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela."

Then there's the mysterious Lin Mi Sheng, played by Bingbing Fan. Sebastian Stan plays Nick, a CIA agent, and Mace's colleague, while Édgar Ramírez appears as the Colombian agent, Luis. All together, that's an amazing collection of talent, and we expect there will be a few character actor surprises in store, as well!

As mentioned, Jessica Chastain came up with the idea for the movie while working with Kinberg on the last X-Men movie, DARK PHOENIX. They worked on the story and cast for a couple of years; in October 2018, Kinberg said in an interview that the project was "something Jessica and I have an intense passion for."

The script is by playwright, screenwriter and author, Theresa Rebeck, who created the TV series "Smash" and has written for shows like "NYPD Blue," "LA Law" and "Third Watch." She also wrote one of many drafts for the Halle Berry CATWOMAN, and got story credit on the movie even as much of the script was changed by writers down the development line. The trailer above gives us a good idea of how Rebeck's reality-rooted cop scripts might combine with Kinberg's more exaggerated filmmaking, but with this cast at the center, we can't wait to see more.

THE 355 opens on January 7, 2022!

All images courtesy of Universal Pictures.