'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (2025)

For the first time since his Oscar-winning 2016 war film, Hacksaw Ridge, actor and filmmaker Mel Gibson is back in the director's chair. This time around, Gibson is taking on the skies in the action thriller, Flight Risk. It's a more conventional film for the Oscar winner to tackle, but an exciting prospect nonetheless.

January is typically seen as the month in which Hollywood dumps its undesirables; those movies that were just too bad or forgettable for the studio to want anything to do with them, so they're dropped off right at the beginning of the year, disappearing in the sea of post-January blockbusters, awards hopefuls, etc. However, this January has been looking up compared to most in recent years, as quite a few interesting films are coming from both studios and auteurs alike, with Flight Risk looking to be a bright spot among them.

Here's everything we know so far about the aviation thriller.

8 Does 'Flight Risk' Have a Release Date?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (1)

Yes! Flight Risk is set for release on January 24, 2025, but it won't be the only film taking advantage of the late-January release slot. Opening opposite the aviation thriller is Director Neil Burger's own thriller, Inheritance, starring Phoebe Dynevor, which comes from IFC Films. Also opening is the Steven Soderbergh-directed supernatural horror film, Presence, from distributor Neon.

Flight Risk will also face competition from holdover releases like Gerard Butler's action sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera and Universal's creature feature, Wolf Man, directed by horror veteran, Leigh Whannell. Not to mention the 2024-25 awards season fare like Brady Corbet's The Brutalist and RaMell Ross' Nickel Boys, which could see a boost following the Academy Awards nominations, set to be announced on January 23. It'll be a crowded box office weekend to be sure, but it's refreshing to see the January box office in its most competitive spot since pre-pandemic times.

7 Will 'Flight Risk' Be In Theaters or on Streaming?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (2)

Flight Risk will have an exclusive theatrical release, meaning those who wish to watch the film from home will have to wait a little while. The film comes from distributor Lionsgate, whose big titles typically go to Universal-owned streamer Peacock after their theatrical runs wrap up, and the same can be assumed for Flight Risk when the movie is ready for its streaming debut. Another possible home for Flight Risk could be at Starz, where Lionsgate is also known to host their major releases, with past examples including 2024's Borderlands video game adaptation.

6 What Is 'Flight Risk' Rated?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (3)

Flight Risk has been rated R by the MPA for "violence and language."

5 How Long Is 'Flight Risk'?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (4)

Flight Risk has a runtime of 91 minutes (or 1 hour and 91 minutes), making it the shortest movie that Mel Gibson has directed.

4 Is There a Trailer for 'Flight Risk'?

Yes, there is an official trailer for Flight Risk, which can be viewed above. The trailer is very quick to the action, not beating around the bush and clearly establishing its high-concept premise while showing off some of the big money shots in the process. If ever there was a trailer that effectively did its job of showcasing the essential beats of the film, it's this one.

3 What Is 'Flight Risk' About?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (5)

The official synopsis for Flight Risk reads as follows:

2 Who Stars in 'Flight Risk'?

Mark Wahlberg	Daryl
Michelle Dockery	Madolyn
Topher Grace	Winston

Flight Risk is a contained thriller that relies largely on the strength of its three leads to carry the film. Thankfully, this is a trio of some of the finest working in the industry today, headed up by the prolific star Mark Wahlberg, who is going bad for his latest turn, a change of pace for the beloved movie star. Wahlberg has been experiencing quite a career bump on streaming lately, pumping out hits like Apple TV's action comedy, The Family Plan, and the Halle Berry action rom-com, The Union, for Netflix. It'll be interesting to see if Wahlberg's star power alone can help out Flight Risk's chances at the box office.

Starring opposite Wahlberg is Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery. But outside of her role of Lady Mary Crawley in the Emmy-winning series (and its two theatrical sequels), Dockery has also been hard at work, recently lending her talents to the Robert Zemeckis film, Here, as well as the Bill Skarsgard-led sci-fi action flick, Boy Kills World. It'll be exciting to see the Emmy nominee be a bit more hands-on in the action sequences this time around, as much of Flight Risk seems to lie on her shoulders.

Rounding out the leading trio is Spider-Man 3-star Topher Grace, also known on the small screen for his role as Eric Forman in the hit sitcom, That '70s Show. In Flight Risk, Grace plays the fugitive who is being transported by Wahlberg's villainous pilot and Dockery's Air Marshal. Topher Grace will also be seen in the upcoming star-studded ensemble film, Huntington, from writer/director John Patton Ford, which is due out soon.

1 Who Is Making 'Flight Risk'?

'Flight Risk' — 7 Things You Need To Know About Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg's New Action Thriller (6)

As mentioned previously, Flight Risk is directed by Mel Gibson, who has returned to directing after a lengthy 9-year gap between projects. Since 2017, Gibson has built up a nice working relationship with Mark Wahlberg, starring opposite the actor in films like the holiday comedy sequel Daddy's Home 2 and the religious biopic, Father Stu, before eventually directing Wahlberg in Flight Risk. It'll be interesting to see what this pairing will do for a follow-up, whether that be with or without Gibson in the director's chair.