Renny Harlin is set to direct action thriller The Bricklayer, casting Aaron Eckhart in the latest update since the project began brewing ten years ago as a Gerard Butler vehicle, according to Deadline’s Andreas Wiseman on Friday. Production is set to commence in March at Millenium Media’s new Nu Boyana Studios’ locations in Greece and Bulgaria.
Harlin will direct from a script by Hannah Weg (Septembers of Shiraz) and Matt Johnson (Into the Blue) which sees Eckhart as a brilliant – but rebellious – former CIA operative reluctantly lured out of retirement when the agency finds itself blamed for the recent assassinations of foreign journalists, forcing him to confront his checkered past while unraveling an international conspiracy.
The aforementioned Butler will reunite with Millenium following their successful Has Fallen trilogy; Butler will produce via his G-Base banner along with Alan Siegel and Danielle Robinson, next to Eclectic Pictures’ Heidi Jo Markel and Millennium Media’s Jeffrey Greenstein, Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, Yariv Lerner and Rob Van Norden.
Millenium’s Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson and Tanner Mobley from Millennium are exec producing.
Said Cliffhanger and Die Hard 2 director Harlin: “The Bricklayer screenplay has the rare combination of well-layered characters, intricate plotting and propulsive action. Having spent five years in China, I’m excited to be back making a high-caliber Hollywood action thriller. If there’s something I learned from my three Chinese movies, it is the importance of deeply felt emotion. In Aaron Eckhart I have found a first-class dramatic actor, who also has the physicality and charm to bring this iconic character to life.”
Said Mobley, VP Development for Millennium Media: “This is an incredible opportunity to develop a strong new IP into a potential franchise. Renny Harlin knows how to execute big action, and Aaron Eckhart is such a versatile actor who will bring great depth to this character. We couldn’t be more excited to launch this film with our talented team,”
~Deadline
Millenium will be on hand at EFM this year to showcase its package to buyers.