David Leitch’s war-time spy thriller Coldest City has recruited X-Men: Apocalypse actor James McAvoy. He joins Charlize Theron in the adaptation of the eponymous Oni Press graphic novel.
Leitch, who is perhaps best known for co-directing last year’s white-knuckle ride John Wick, takes point for this one. Working from a script produced by Kurt Johnstad, the director’s foray behind the lens will be set against the fall of the Berlin Wall circa 1989. Specifically, Coldest City takes place on the eve of the barrier’s destruction, telling the gripping tale of two spies working to locate and destroy a blacklist containing the names of secret agents operating on both sides of the wall.
Not only will Charlize Theron star in the feature, but the actress is also set to produce with Leitch. Furthermore, Beth Kono, A.J. Dix, Eric Gitter, Peter Schwerin and Kelly McCormick will each assume producing duties, too. It’s unclear at this point, though we assume that Theron and McAvoy are set to play both spies.
McAvoy’s slate is filling up remarkably quickly now that the Scottish actor has wrapped with Apocalypse. He recently inked a deal to star in M. Night Shyamalan’s yet-to-be-titled supernatural thriller – which cast Anya Taylor Joy, Betty Buckley, Jessica Sula and Haley Lu Richardson only this week – not to mention nailing one of two leading roles in the revisionist Victor Frankenstein. Don’t be fooled into thinking that we’ve seen the last of the Scottish thesp now that Bryan Singer’s X-Men prequel trilogy is pulling into the station.
No official word on a production start for Coldest City, but you can catch James McAvoy starring opposite Daniel Radcliffe when Victor Frankenstein opens on November 25.
