Former Punisher Thomas Jane is set to headline Die Hard director John McTiernan’s car-chase actioner Run. The film is budgeted at $35 million and will shoot in Argentina, where the plot takes place as well. Jane will play an Interpol agent who happens on a large conspiracy while pursuing a murder suspect.

In the past, classic automobile-porn action flicks like The Bourne Ultimatum and Ronin have gloriously used-and-abused Audis, but BMW will provide the vehicles here, with a Super Mustang also set to make an appearance. Producer Michael Pierce adds that the automobiles will “chase each other at over 120 mph.” Well, now.

This marks McTiernan’s first film since he was ordered to serve four months in prison for lying to federal agents about his involvement in the Anthony Pellicano wiretapping fiasco. Obviously, the plot to Run is purposely lean and mean and it’d be great to see him return to form after a series of middling efforts, including the peak that was The Thomas Crown Affair and the depressing valley that was LL Cool J’s Rollerball. Jane, a very likable actor, evidently takes Karl Urban’s expired spot in the lead here, and after the flop that was The Mist and his unfortunate, abrupt run with The Punisher, Jane needs to center himself quickly in the public eye. If that’s as a Jason Statham-level action star, so be it, but my favorite role of his was in Boogie Nights, which was impossibly chameleonic, akin to Eric Bana’s in Chopper. This is a project that would sound absolutely ho-hum, but with the talent involved and a lot on the line, sparks could fly.

Source Link: Variety