An intergalactic revenge tale? From the man who brought us TAKEN? Oh hells yeah…
Word comes from Deadline that Luc Besson, French filmmaker directorially responsible for LEON, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, ANGEL-A, etc. – producorially responsible for TAKEN, FRONTIERS, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, etc. – is now spearheading a space-set revenge thriller called LOCKOUT. And not only that, but Guy Pearce (right) and Maggie Grace (below) are in line to star.
According to the site, the picture transports a Taken-like premise to outer space, as a man (Pearce) is wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. He’s offered his freedom if he can rescue the president’s daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates. Grace will portray the president’s kidnapped daughter, with filming slated for a September 7th start date.
Not sure about you all, but I can get down with this project, particularly is Besson mans up and decides to direct himself. Even if he doesn’t though, and I doubt he will, I have faith he’ll find yet another talented up and coming European director to work on the cheap. I mean, Besson turned Pierre Morel into somewhat of a powerhouse, so who’s to say he can’t replicate the success?
Let us know what you make of this development, the casting, the premise, etc.