Denzel Washington should have starred in an ambitious Netflix film centered on rebel general Hannibal until its high cost crushed him.
And after a very long collaboration with Tom Cruise on the Mission: Impossible films, Christopher McQuarrie is taking a break from acting and focusing on new projects.
Their two programs being open, the actor and the filmmaker met for a crime thriller set up at Amazon MGM studios and at Scott Stuber’s United Artists.
Washington will star in the feature film, currently untitled but formerly called The frameunder the direction of McQuarrie.
Amazon has given the feature film the green light and will give it a theatrical release, scheduled for October 1, 2027. The project has operated under the radar but will see cameras rolling starting in November in New Jersey.
Written by Scott Barkan and Gregg Zehentner (In the dark, Edge of Fear), the thriller centers on a former police detective serving a life sentence who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Granted compassionate release with six months to live, he returns home to the ex-daughter he left behind and a grandson he never knew existed. Like most honorable ex-cons, he only wants to make amends and forget his dark past. But, as Amazon’s logline points out, its dark past has not forgotten it. (Cue a dramatic sound effect.)
The producers’ appeal represents a prison yard full of inmates. McQuarrie will produce alongside Heather McQuarrie, as well as Stuber and Nick Nesbitt for United Artists. Joseph Restaino of Hungry Bull Productions and Reza Moheet and Norman Aladjem of Mainstay Entertainment are also producing, as are Katia Washington and Tommy Harper.
Tony Stopperan of Hungry Bull Productions, Tim Honigman of Mainstay Entertainment and Joe Guest will serve as executive producers.
Washington last played in Highest 2 Lowest for director Spike Lee and AppleTV. He will next star in the Netflix series The socket (formerly known as Here comes the flood)alongside Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The film is expected to be released in 2027.
Since 2012, McQuarrie has directed five films, all starring Cruise. The last one dates from 2025 Mission: Impossible – The Final Judgment. This does not include scripts or production work on Cruise’s pictures. Top Gun: Maverick, the Mummy And Edge of tomorrow. He is currently in the process of putting together a working version of the video game. Battlefield at Sony, which he would direct and star Michael B. Jordan.
Washington is replaced by WME. McQuarrie is replaced by CAA and Greenberg Glusker.
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