Car thriller Autobahn is one of those projects that has been idling along at a slow development pace for ages as directors have jumped in and then been dumped on the side of the road along the way. It seemed to finally get into gear with Welcome To The Punch’s Eran Creevy, who cast Zac Efron and Amber Heard in the lead roles. Today brings news of a slight shift, with Nicholas Hoult now stepping in for Efron{
Screen International reports that the film, which was up for distribution deals at the American Film Market, has landed with eOne in the UK and other territories, with the mention that Hoult is now set to star.
Autobahn, set (and likely to be filmed) in Germany, sees an American backpacker (Hoult, though the character’s nationality may shift with him) falling foul of a Turkish gang when he agrees to take part in a scam. Fleeing his pursuers around Munich, he must keep his girlfriend (Heard) safe and stay alive himself as they both try to untangle themselves from the mess. With financing in place, Creevy will be revving the engine in March.
Hoult, seen this year in Warm Bodies and Jack The Giant Slaye****r, is part of the sprawling ensemble for X-Men: Days Of Future Past and has also worked on Young Ones, Once Upon A Time In The Kitchen and the endlessly delayed Mad Max: Fury Road. He most recently finished shooting Dark Places with Charlize Theron.