Jason Statham, star of Spy, Furious 7 and all-round action stalwart, has agreed to topline SJ Pictures and Road Pictures yet-to-be-titled kidnapping thriller, which will take place primarily in Hong Kong.
Details are thin on the ground regarding The Stath’s latest picture, though we understand that he’ll headline the actioner as a British expatriate living in the Chinese metropolis, who becomes embroiled in a sprawling kidnapping case and opts to make tail and go on the run with a skilled Chinese operative. No word yet on a director to take the reins on the nascent project, though Road Pictures’ Gongming Cai and Julien Favre – attached to produce the picture along with Steve Chasman – are evidently excited to work with a genre expert.
“This is a perfect vehicle for Jason Statham to conquer the Chinese market — he is a true global superstar who has such an authentic connection with audiences around the world,” said Cai. “We’re excited to put this film into production, which marks the beginning of what we see as a fruitful long-term partnership with Jason and Steven.”
After making quite the name for himself kicking ass and taking names all across the American and European box office, SJ Pictures’ untitled thriller reads like a prime opportunity for the actor to take a crack at an international audience outside of the franchise comforts of, say, Universal’s Fast and Furious franchise. Either way, we can only hope Statham retains his British charm for this overseas affair. Kurt Wimmer, the screenwriter behind Total Recall and Point Break, is penning the screenplay.
