Brad Peyton's next larger-than-life film project, Universe's Most Wanted, starring Dave Bautista, has landed at Eros STX.
The deal gives Eros STX Global Corp. the rights to distribute the film in the United States, UK, and India. Bautista is quite familiar with Eros STX after his family-friendly film, My Spy, did great numbers for the studio on Amazon Prime during the pandemic.
Directed and produced by Peyton (Rampage, San Andreas), Universe's Most Wanted will focus on a small town that gets a big surprise when a space ship carrying the universe’s most wanted and dangerous criminals crash lands in their backyard. Soon the sheriff’s son becomes a hero when he finds himself helping an intergalactic peacekeeper (Bautista) to keep the ragtag group of alien prisoners from escaping and taking over the world.
F. Scott Frazier (xXx: Return of Xander Cage) and Jimmy Loweree are writing the script, which Peyton will direct and produce courtesy of ASAP Entertainment alongside ASAP’s Jeff Fierson. Jonathan Meisner will produce with Bautista via the action star's Dream Bros Entertainment label.
“It’s a thrill to be working with old and new friends on this movie. After successfully collaborating with Dave Bautista on My Spy and with AGC on our upcoming comedy Queenpins, it’s great to be back in business with these frequent collaborators. And we’re enormously excited to be working with Brad Peyton, whose proven talent for creating action-packed, fun adventures with plenty of comedy will make this movie a must-see event,” said STX Films Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson.
Ford added, “We’re thrilled at STX’s passion for Universe’s Most Wanted and look forward to working alongside Adam, Sam, and the team as we move towards production and hopefully enable Brad and the team to make an exciting movie.”
“When I first read Scott and Jimmy’s script, I was sold, as it’s the exact type of big, fun sci-fi tentpole I’ve been looking to do,” Peyton remarked. “What struck me the most was how much heart it had and how much nostalgia it triggered. It reminds me of the great Amblin movies of my childhood. Dave agreeing to play the lead was the icing on the cake.”
“Brad and I are so excited to be working with such a phenomenal team, from our producing partners Dave and Jonathan, who have been creatively in lockstep with us since the beginning, to Stuart and the team at AGC who did such a phenomenal job selling the movie, assembling the financing and preparing for principal photography,” said Fierson. “Now to be reuniting with Adam Fogelson and Sam Brown at STX, it really is a dream team of partners with whom we are making this movie.”
Universe's Most Wanted is currently in pre-production with filming scheduled to begin in Melbourne, Australia in late July.