As production on the action-comedy American Ultra kicks off in New Orleans. Lionsgate is announcing some enticing new additions to the cast: Bill Pullman, Tony Hale and Sharon Stone. This trio joins an ensemble that already includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, John Leguizamo, and Walton Goggins.
Here's the official plot synopsis for American Ultra, which was just revealed in a press release announcing the start of principal photography
American Ultra is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike, a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe, is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent in a government program created by Victoria Lasseter. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.
Eisenberg will front the action-packed and funny feature as Mike. Stewart, who has recently wrapped on a trio of dramas (Clouds of Sils Maria, Anethesia, and Still Alice) and previously co-starred with Eisenberg in Adventureland, will play Phoebe, while Stone is set for the role of sleeper agent wrangler Victoria Lasseter. For now, Lionsgate is currently keeping quiet on what roles the rest of the cast will play.
We first got word of American Ultra back in the fall of 2013, when Eisenberg and Stewart signed on to headline. At that time we learned the screenplay was penned by outspoken scribe and Superman aficionado Max Landis, best known for writing the 2012 super-powered thriller Chronicle.
Taking the helm of this action-comedy is Nima Nourizadeh, who made his directorial feature debut in 2012 with the party comedy Project X.
Development on American Ultra went below the radar through the winter, but just last month the movie made headlines with reports Uma Thurman was in talks to co-star. She will be playing a government agent who has deep ties to stoner/sleeper agent Mike. But with this latest press release, it is clear Thurman is out and Stone is in as Victoria Lasseter. I'll be honest: with the character description plus Stone in the role, I'm imagining Lasseter as a live-action Malory Archer. Which is awesome.
American Ultra is expected to hit theaters in 2015.
