Joe Carnahan Time-Loop Action Movie 'Boss Level' Gets March Release Date On Hulu

Joe Carnahan's action film Boss Level has been waiting since 2019 for someone to release it, and now Hulu has finally set a date: March 5. The time loop film features Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, and Naomi Watts, and follows a former special forces agent who keeps repeating the same day: the day of his murder. Which means this is less like Groundhog Day, and more like Happy Death Day.

Late last year we reported that Boss Level was headed to Hulu. Now, we have a date – March 5. The action film comes from Joe Carnahan, director of The Grey, Narc, and more. In Boss Level, "Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death. In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts) and live once again for tomorrow."

It's interesting how movies about time loops have become their own little subgenre over the years. Groundhog Day is perhaps the most famous, but the list includes Happy Death Day, Edge of Tomorrow, Palm Springs, Triangle, and more (there was even an X-Files episode that used the idea). Perhaps this concept resonates so well with people because we all feel as if we're stuck in our own time loops, reliving the same damn day over and over again.

Boss Level was originally purchased by Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures in 2018. They planned on releasing the flick on August 16, 2019. But that never happened, and Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures had dropped the film entirely by June of 2020. While the film awaited release, Carnahan screened it for an audience in Hollywood in February of 2020, where it generated some positive buzz.

I like most of Carnahan's work, and I'm curious about Boss Level. That said, it's worth noting that the film features Mel Gibson, who will always carry toxic baggage around due to several incidents from his personal life. In addition to Grillo, Gibson, and Watts, Boss Level also features Annabelle Wallis, Ken Jeong, Will Sasso, Selina Lo, Meadow Williams, and Michelle Yeoh. The script comes from Chris Borey, Eddie Borey, and Joe Carnahan.