Gerard Butler is off to the races with his latest involvement with STX at EFM in Berlin for Remote Control, which has been in the works for more than a decade. The project was at one point shopped to Sony back in 2009.
Star from a script by Mark Burnell whose 2011 novel serves as the film’s basis, Butler will play ex-war correspondent Michael Rafter-turned-corporate security consultant. In the wake of a mysterious phone call, Rafter’s life is turned upside down when he becomes the target of shadowy organization, the 212. His identity is soon rewritten as notorious international assassin Julian Irving, forcing him on the run while in search for answers, with the only person he can trust: his ex-lover, Tracy, who is also implicated in the conspiracy.
Oscar-nominated director of photography John Mathieson (Gladiator, Logan, Pokèmon Detective Pikachu) is directing from a script by Burnell whose The Rhythm Section recently hit theaters from director Reed Morano.
Hyde Park’s Ashok Amritraj will produce with G-Base’s own Butler and Alan Siegel. Bond franchise shepherds Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will exec produce for Eon Productions, along with Priya Amritraj and Addison Mehr for Hyde Park, and Danielle Robinson for G-Base.
STX is releasing the film in the U.S. and repping international sales in Berlin, partnering to a Butler-led project for a third outing after Christian Gudegast’s Den Of Thieves and the upcoming action adventure, Greenland.
From Deadline‘s Andreas Wiseman:
“As a producer and a star, Gerard Butler continues to be an extraordinary partner,” said STX’s Adam Fogelson. “We are excited to be re-teaming with him and G-Base on Remote Control. This is the kind of high-stakes action story that he does best. The complete package of Gerard, Michael and Barbara at Eon, and Ashok at Hyde Park makes this a hard-to-beat proposition for STX.”