With his January actioner doing better-than-expected – currently over the $60 million mark – Contraband director Baltasar Kormakur and star Mark Wahlberg are set to re-team on 2 Guns, after David O. Russell departed. Deadline now reports a major possible addition to the cast.
Denzel Washington, whose Safe House hits theaters this Friday, has joined “early talks” to co-star in the film, based on Steven Grant and Mat Santolouco‘s novel. Check out a synopsis below:
A pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between. Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it’s a great way to score — considering it’s a cover for mob money. They’ll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn’t know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn’t know is that Steadman’s a Naval Intelligence officer. They’re both cops! And neither one knows that they’re not robbing the mob, they’ve been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!
It sounds like a distant cousin of The Departed, but can’t imagine it stacking up to Martin Scorsese‘s praised hit. I’m not allowed to say I had a good time with Safe House yet and while seeing Washington on the bad side was fun, I wish he would focus on more interesting roles. He does have Robert Zemeckis‘ drama Flight this year, but I was hoping that would signal a shift for the actor after Tony Scott fatigue. Even Safe House director Daniel Espinosa and Kormakur both come from the quick-cutting, heavy-hitting style of that school. But hey, even Washington needs to make that high-end Hollywood money.
What do you think about a Washington/Wahlberg team-up?