In the space of only three years, Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans ostensibly ripped up the action rule book with The Raid and its ferocious 2014 sequel. Not only did it herald a wonderful partnership with Indonesian actor and all-round martial arts expert Iko Uwais, but the breathless action series helped put Evans’ name on the map.
Outside of a short samurai film (see it here), all has been quiet for Gareth Evans since The Raid 2, though The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the director’s next creative venture – and no, it doesn’t involve The Raid 3.
Instead, it’s titled Apostle, and is described as a period thriller chronicling one man’s journey to a remote island in a desperate attempt to locate his missing sister. Kidnapped by a religious cult, our protagonist willfully ignores demands for a ransom and, according to the brief synopsis, it “soon becomes clear that the cult will regret the day it baited this man, who digs deeper and deeper into the secrets and lies upon which the commune is built.” An enigmatic lead tackling a frightening situation on his own accord is certainly in Evans’ wheelhouse.
What’s more, Apostle also heralds a reunion between the director and XYZ Films, after the company produced and handled international sales for both The Raid and its bone-crunching follow-up. Casting details are being kept under lock and key at the moment, but with Evans eyeing a production start in March 2017, that radio silence should change very soon indeed.
