Jason Statham and Guy Ritchie's latest collaboration might have lost its name – it was being called Five Eyes at one point – but it has gained an actor. Aubrey Plaza is joining Statham in the cast.
The movie, written by The Gentlemen's Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies (Ritchie has since contributed revisions), finds Statham as tough nut MI6 agent Orson Fortune, who is recruited by a global intelligence alliance to track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology that threatens to disrupt the world order. Reluctantly paired with CIA high-tech expert Sarah Fidel, Fortune sets off on a globe-trotting mission where he will have to use all of his charm, ingenuity and stealth to track down and infiltrate billionaire arms broker.
Deadline's story doesn't mention which role Plaza is taking in the film, but given her co-star status, we'd guess she'll be the tech specialist. Plus, the idea of her deadpan style playing off against Statham's gruff action man has real appeal.
Plaza is on VOD screens now in Happiest Season and will next be seen in Black Bear.
As for Statham, it's not the only new project he has on the horizon – according to Deadline, he's also making a deal to star in a new crime drama called Small Dark Look.
From the scripting fingers of Dirty Pretty Things' Steven Knight the new film, once called Body Cross sees the writer back on familiar territory, exploring part of London's criminal gangster underworld, in this case, the Russian mob. Martin Zandvliet is on to direct this one, but there's no word on when it'll start shooting.