A reunion for Gareth Huw Evans and “Gangs Of London” lead Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù feels appropriate at this stage. That show was a hit for which Evans was exec producer for its run and now the two have since reunited for Evans’s latest directorial effort in the UK with a remake of Takashi Nomura’s 1967 yakuza crime flick, A Colt Is My Passport.
The project, hailing from Amazon MGM Studios and Orion Pictures, was announced earlier this summer and, according to Andreas Wiseman’s Deadline exclusive on Tuesday, has since wrapped production in the UK. A cast has also been announced as well with Dìrísù leading the roster that lists Tim Roth, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton, Victor Alli, Ewan Mitchell, Burn Gorman, and Noah Taylor.
Evans also rejoins Chris Webb, a member of the stunt unit on Evans’s Netflix releases, Havoc and Apostle, whose script is set in 1978 Detroit and centers on a Vietnam vet-turned-contract killer who ends up on the run following a hit on a gangland boss. Wiseman has more along with statements from the director on the film and what fans can expect:
…“From the moment I first saw Takashi Nomura’s wildly influential A Colt Is My Passport, I fell in love with its bold fusion of genres. Merging film noir and spaghetti western tropes together in an irresistible way I knew immediately I wanted to take on the challenge of making this my next feature. More a reimagining than a remake, Chris Webb’s remarkable, noir-drenched script has taken the original film’s core themes and built upon them gifting the story’s iconic characters more emotional weight while retaining its deep rooted genre influences.”
He continued: “The incredible cast led by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton, Victor Alli, Burn Gorman and Tim Roth have been an absolute dream to work with. Their dedication towards realising the vision of the film has been nothing short of inspiring, making the last 12 weeks of production a deeply rewarding and reinvigorating experience. I am beyond grateful for the trust and faith Orion have shown in us and I am so excited to share this wildly ambitious film with audiences worldwide.”
Read more at Deadline.
Lead image: Criterion