Anthony Hopkins And Glen Powell To Star In Sam Raimi-Produced Thriller, Locked
Whether you caught sight of him in "Devotion" or "Top Gun: Maverick," Glen Powell was last seen flying high as a charming NAVY pilot diving headfirst into a dangerous situation. Clearly, a big fan of fighting for his life while trapped in metal machines, Powell has already booked his next big role in a thriller called "Locked," where he stars as a criminal whose car burglary goes terribly wrong.
Per Deadline, "Locked" is "an intense, character-driven thriller about a thief who breaks into a luxury SUV, only to realize that he's stumbled into a complex and deadly trap set by a mysterious figure." And who will Powell star opposite as his thief desperately tries to escape? None other than two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins. While the details of Hopkins' character are a little more mysterious, fingers crossed he plays the sinister figure who set the deadly trap.
If this premise sounds a little familiar, it's probably because "Locked" is a remake of the Argentinian action-thriller, "4X4," from Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat. The original 2019 thriller was well received by audiences and critics alike, including Matt Donato, who reviewed the movie for /Film and wrote, "'4x4' is lean, fascinatingly detailed, and punches into overdrive when excitement is most needed." Particular praise was awarded to Peter Lanzani as the thief who carries both the action and the emotional core of the film — a promising prospect for Powell, who fills a very similar role.
"Locked" comes from screenwriter Michael Ross ("Oracle") and director David Yarovesky ("Brightburn"). Sam Raimi, who previously worked with Yarovesky on Netflix's "Nightbooks" (a PG-rated dark fantasy that lets yougins dip their toes into the realm of horror) will produce under the banner of Raimi productions.
Locked has Raimi's stamp of approval
In a statement to Deadline, Sam Raimi hinted that the film will be a showcase for both lead performers, thanks to Ross' strong script. Raimi told Deadline:
"Dave Yarovesky so elevated the material on 'Nightbooks,' and he was our first choice for this. The script was so good and he's such a good communicator that we were able to interest Anthony Hopkins, who for my generation is just about the greatest actor ever. [Glen Powell's] character has got a soul to him that's slowly revealed as the picture goes on. It seems as though he's just a thief, someone that doesn't care for others, but as the film unfolds, you realize he has a wife and a child that he loves and he's wronged, and this whole experience gives him a chance to reflect back on how he's treated them, and how he's lived his life relative to them."
Believe it or not, watching Powell play a repenting thief on a complex emotional journey is only half the fun. "Locked" is first and foremost an action-packed thriller. It takes place in a car for good reason! Raimi added, "This is not an emotional piece as much as it is an action tension piece, a nonstop thrill ride with characters at the center you learn to care about. That will be a satisfying experience for the audience." If Sam Raimi guarantees a good time, the count us in!