It was last February that Gerard Butler was set for upcoming actioner, Snow Ponies. Having taken a back seat since then, trade news out of the American Film Market is emerging with reports that noted debut directing gig from second unit director Darrin Prescott (John Wick: Chapter, Deadpool 2, Black Panther) is making its case through next week for buyers thanks to Endeavor Content.
With Hollywood action and stunt training facility 87eleven becoming more prolific in the last several years in film production, expect more to come from the outlet as they now have officially paired with actor Gerard Butler for the new action adventure thriller, Snow Ponies. Friday’s announcement hails the directorial debut of Darrin Prescott whose electric 20+ year career in stunt work has since escalated him into second unit direction with projects such as Drive (2011), Captain America: Civil War (2016), the 87eleven-produced 2014 hit thriller, John Wick, as well as its forthcoming sequel from director Chad Stahelski.
Snow Ponies is based on a 2006 Blacklist script by Pat Healy in which Butler leads the story of seven hardened men trekking across a vicious landscape to deliver a mysterious package only to have their mettle tested to the extreme. With murderous bandits stalking them and brutal obstacles at every turn, they are forced to choose between survival and honor, loyalty and deceit, all the while wondering what secrets their precious cargo may contain. Other casting details remain pending as 87eleven spearheads the production with producer Kelly McCormick, and Butler producing through his shared G-BASE banner with Alan Siegel. Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg of Sierra/Affinity who are financing the film and presenting at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin, are executive producing as are Healy, and Bryan Bucks. WME Global and CAA are co-representing domestic rights for the film.
“The combination of a globally respected actor in Gerard and a dynamic emerging filmmaker in Darrin Prescott give this action film great potential to engage audiences and take them on a journey into a world full of dangerous characters and plot twists,” said Nick Meyer, CEO of Sierra/Affinity. “We are pleased to again be working with Kelly and the team at 87eleven who continue to identify not only unique and compelling material, but also cultivate the next generation of filmmakers.”
McCormick added, “We are so excited about SNOW PONIES because it breaks the standard revenge model by focusing on the dynamics of a group of men being pushed and pulled and picked off by forces beyond their control. The violence is heavy and the action is brutal, but not repellent because it fits in with the mood of this icy and hostile world. Darrin is the perfect director to deliver the punishing, unique action and the characters that deliver and endure it.”
87eleven, the premiere stunt and action design firm in Hollywood best known for some of today’s biggest A-list titles and talent in film and stunts, also shares its credits in titles like John McTiernan’s Ninja Assassin, Jurassic World, Jonathan Liebesman’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its sequel from director Dave Green, Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games and Expendables franchises, as well as James Mangold’s The Wolverine and upcoming March 3 follow-up, Logan starring Hugh Jackman.
As of a week ago, Butler, who was last confirmed for Angel Has Fallen as of last October following the $200 million dollar global success of London Has Fallen, is currently in production on Christian Gudegast’s directorial debut crime thriller, Den Of Thieves, and is also to appear in Dean Devlin’s Geostorm for Warner Bros. Pictures. He is represented by CAA and Alan Siegel Entertainment.
Prescott, an SAG award-winning stunt coordinator having notably left his mark on Paul Greengrass’s The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and also shares second unit directing credits for Marvel’s Black Panther from director Ryan Coogler, is represented by WME and McCormick. Healy is represented by The Gersh Agency and Luber and Rocklin.
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