EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the Cannes market, Lionsgate has taken North American rights off the table on one of the bigger-budget new packages that’ll be on sale next week: that’s action-thriller Mutiny, which will star action evergreen Jason Statham (Fast & Furious) and be directed by Jean-François Richet (Plane).
Lionsgate, which we understand stumped up eight figures for NA rights, says it has committed to a wide theatrical release on the project which is based on a script by Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis (Plane). Principal photography is due to begin this September in the UK.
In Mutiny, after his billionaire industrialist boss is murdered in front of him, Cole Reed is set up to take the fall for the crime— leaving him on the run as he works to uncover an international conspiracy.
The film is produced by Statham and his newly minted production company Punch Palace Productions and Marc Butan under his MadRiver Pictures banner. It marks the latest collaboration between Richet, Butan and Davis following Plane in 2023.
The movie marks the first venture under MadRiver Pictures’ recently announced multi-year equity financing and distribution deal with international distributors including DeAPlaneta (Spain), Eagle Pictures (Italy), IDC Distribution (Latin America), Italia Film (Middle East), LEONINE Studios (Germany and Austria), Shochiku (Japan), SND (France) and Unicorn Media (Eastern Europe), who will each handle distribution in their respective territories.
CAA Media Finance handled the domestic sale, while The Veterans will represent international rights and be introducing it to other buyers in Cannes. Evan Powell will oversee for MadRiver.
“Jason Statham is one of the most kinetic action stars in the world and we look forward to teaming him up with Jean-François and the MadRiver team who we previously worked with on Plane,” said Lauren Bixby, SVP, Co-Productions and Acquisitions for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “We can’t wait to see that creative energy once again as we bring Mutiny to life,” she added.
In 2023, Statham starred in new installments of The Meg and Fast and Furious franchises. His latest action pic The Beekeeper has so far taken $150M at the box office. He recently wrapped production on Ayer’s Levon’s Trade.
Statham is represented by Patrick Knapp; Richet is repped by UTA; Michel is repped by WME Bellevue Productions and Bryan Swatt; and Davis by WME, Jay Baker at Range Media and Carlos K. Goodman.
