When it was first announced that Sean Penn would be starring in a new action movie from the director of Taken called Prone Gunman, it sounded like a fairly funny idea. Recent developments, however, have changed our outlook on the project entirely. Last week we learned that Oscar-winner Javier Bardem had signed on for a role in the movie, which also underwent a title change (it's now called The Gunman). Even better? Today it's close to adding yet another highly skilled actor to its cast list.
Idris Elba, who will soon be seen working to cancel the apocalypse in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, is now in negotiations for a part The Gunman. The story, based on the novel "Prone Gunman" by Jean-Patrick Manchette, follows an international operative (Penn) who is betrayed by his handlers and forced to go on the run through Europe. The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the casting story, says that Elba will be playing Dupont, another mysterious operative. Pete Travis, who earned some positive reviews for last year's comic book movie Dredd, wrote the script, and production is slated to begin later this month. The Europe-based Studio Canal is fully financing the project and shooting will take place in Barcelona as well as in other various locations on the continent.
In addition to Pacific Rim, Elba also has both Thor: The Dark World (in which he reprises his role as Asgard protector Heimdall) and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom due out in the fall. He is also set to co-star with Taraji Henson in the thriller No Good Deed, which won't be out until 2014 and has the third season of Luther starting up in September
