Having made her first big appearance via the comic-oriented X-Men franchise, it’s of little surprise that Ellen Page would, at one point or another, return to the territory — albeit, now, with something arguably more “grown-up.” According to Variety, deals are being ironed out for Queen & Country, an espionage actioner that, as strange as this sounds, is Fox’s attempt to give the actress her own Bourne-esque franchise. How many thought they’d ever see this deal transpire?
The screenplay, currently being shaped by John Rogers (Leverage) — his own source being Greg Rucka‘s much-acclaimed comic series — centers on a British spy, Tara Chace, whose attempts to foil terrorist plans are impeded by the leaking of her identity and, no less, “personal demons [which] spiral out of control.” While that outline has many of the basic trappings we know spy films for, Queen & Country is, as noted, a well-regarded piece of work in its former incarnation, commended for both its inventive plotting and finely drawn character; Page has, multiple times over, evidenced herself capable of doing the latter justice, so potential concerns over her falling into the comic book movie hole may prove a little unnecessary. And, come to think of it, how many female-oriented action franchises do we even have nowadays? This could be a fine start.
Meanwhile, Deadline have news that Bruce Willis is taking a top role in Lionsgate’s crime thriller The Prince. The set-up: a former mob enforcer heads back to his Las Vegas stomping grounds upon the disappearance of his daughter, forcing a clash with some old foes; perhaps deviating from his typical action hero stance, the actor is to portray “a man who has waited years for the enforcer to return.”
Sarik Andreasyan will direct for Emmet/Furla Films, working from a screenplay penned by Jeremy Passmore and Andre Fabrizio.
Does Page fit the spy-action stylings of Queen & Country? Any hopes for Willis’ Prince?