After several years of being in nothing of any real value, save the odd appearance in a Wes Anderson film or a cameo on Community, last year Owen Wilson wound up with a Golden Globe nomination for his work in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. The role was oddly perfect for the talented Texan and he was so charming that it was easy to overlook the fact that he also starred in the more than forgettable The Big Year and Hall Pass. And now with an already promising slate of films on the horizon, Wilson has just agreed to star in the action thriller The Coup.
Wilson hasn't done straight action for quite some time, his last venture into (non-comedic) thrillers was probably a decade ago when he ventured Behind Enemy Lines for John Moore. This time though, he won't be a solitary hero fighting his way through hostile territory as The Coup, co-written by Drew Dowdle and his brother Eric with the latter also directing, has Wilson fighting for his and his family's survival. The film follows an American family who move to Southeast Asia only to soon find themselves right in the middle of a violent insurgence attacking the city. Or a 'Coup' if you will.
Crime Scene Pictures will finance the project with producers Adam Ripp and Rob Paris (alongside Steve Alexander and Drew Dowdle) saying, “We love the relentless energy of the Dowdle Brothers’ script – and their vision for dropping Owen in the midst of the chaos is truly inspired.” Alexander continued, “When I first read the Dowdles’ screenplay, I was immediately taken with how strongly it taps into that primal fear which any parent can relate to, when it comes to the safety and protection of their family.”
As the release notes, Crime Scene Pictures is doing quite well for itself lately (imagine that, a production company announcing how well they are doing), with the Yale Hannon 'Black List' script Everly going into production with Kate Hudson attached to star for Joe Lynch (Hatchet) as well as the David Gordon Green (George Washington) remake of Dario Argento's Suspiria, a cult classic Giallo from 1977. However, The Coup seems to be a step in a slightly different direction, away from straight horror and more into the action genre.
Although, I suppose from the sounds of it, the Dowdle Brothers' script does sound very similar to a zombie flick just, well, switch zombies for rebels with guns. Would you want Owen Wilson protecting you in a chaotic attack? Filming is set for October in Southeast Asia, and won't interfere with that aforementioned promising slate of projects that the actor has lined up including Mad Men Matthew Weiner's feature debut You Are Here and Academy Award documentarian Errol Morris' return to narrative filmmaking with Freezing People is Easy.
