Jackie Chan to Star in Joe Carnahan’s Action Film “Five Against a Bullet” (EXCLUSIVE)

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〉Bruce Willis was previously attached to star.

The long-in-development project FIVE AGAINST A BULLET has found its new star in action veteran Jackie Chan. Joe Carnahan is still set to direct and is also doing rewrites on the script from the original scribe, The Three Musketeers’ Alex Litvak. Casting someone in a lead role like this is a good sign for the film’s future and vitality, especially given its long and varied history.

Originally set up at Columbia Pictures from Di Bonaventura Pictures in 2010, it originally had Bruce Willis attached, before losing both studio and star. While Di Bonaventura is still on board, the film continues to be without a studio. Mimran Schur, Red Dragon, and Suretone Pictures join Di Bonaventura in producing the film, with Sparkle Roll financing. Jordan Schur of both Mimran and Suretone is co-producing alongside Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Sandrine De Clercq, and David Mimran. Erik Howsam, also of Di Bonaventura, is executive producing.

The film sounds right up Chan’s alley as it follows a man’s run for mayor in Mexico after the death of his father at the hands of a drug cartel and the team of elite bodyguards who are tasked with protecting him. Presumably, Chan will be playing one of the bodyguards in what is sure to be an action-heavy role.

Earlier reports about the project stated Suretone is eyeing the film as the start of a potential franchise, following the team of bodyguards throughout their various assignments.

Chan has been lending his talents, both as an actor and as a martial artist, to various films for decades, such as the Rush Hour franchise, Shanghai Noon, and Chinese Zodiac, the latter of which he also wrote and directed. Coming up he’ll lend his voice to the animated films The Nut Job 2 and The Lego Ninjago Movie. He’s also directing and starring in his third Operation Condor film, as well as developing a sequel to Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Dawn, in which he’ll re-team with original co-star Owen Wilson.

He’s repped by CAA and STX Entertainment.

—TO SEE ALL THE PROJECT DETAILS CLICK HERE—

Anya Crittenton | Associate Editor