Kevin James Replacing Simon Pegg As Merciless Criminal In Action Thriller 'Becky'

The upcoming action thriller Becky had our attention because Simon Pegg was cast to play the film's villain, a merciless escaped convict who invades a family's lake house while they're on a weekend getaway. Unfortunately, that movie has lost Simon Pegg, but they've replaced with another intriguingly unlikely actor in the role: the King of Queens himself, Kevin James.

Deadline has word that Kevin James will be replacing Simon Pegg in Becky, making quite the departure from playing an everyman sort of goofball in movies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Grown Ups and Here Comes the Boom. But if Adam Sandler can take a break from his stupid comedies to star in movies like Punch-Drunk Love, then maybe Kevin James can pull this off.

Becky follows a rebellious 14-year old girl named Becky (Lulu Wilson of Annabelle: Creation and The Haunting of Hill House) who is struggling to enjoy a weekend getaway with her father at the family lake house after her mother has passed away. But instead of a relaxing weekend with father-daughter bonding, the two must contend with a group of escaped convicts who break into their house. Somehow, Becky takes matters into her own hands and decides to deal with these criminals herself.

This sounds like it borders on being something along the lines of an action-centric Home Alone, but with Bushwick and Cooties directing duo Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion on board, this likely won't be a family-friendly kind of movie. They're working from a script by newcomer Nick Morris and Ruckus Skye & Lane Skye (Reckoning).

While Kevin James feels like a step down from Simon Pegg taking a role like this, I must admit that I'm very interested in seeing what the comedian can do with a villainous turn. Some actors just need the right role to unlock a new side of their talents, and there isn't any other comic I'd rather see succeed with this kind of part instead of starring in the same old mediocre comedies. James certainly has a following, just like his buddy Adam Sandler, but a change of pace could really reinvigorate his career in an exciting way.

Becky doesn't currently have distribution, but UTA Independent Film Group is looking to sell the domestic distribution rights. We'll let you know as soon as we learn more about the movie.