(L to R) Director Chad Stahelski and Bill Skarsgård as Marquis in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
- ‘John Wick’s Chad Stahelski is aboard to produce ‘The Professionals.’
- Stuntman–turned–writer Madison Turner crafted the latest draft of the script.
- It’ll follow hired killers who must figure out why they themselves are targets for murder.
If you’re a hired killer in a movie, chances are you’ll either A) try to retire, only for your past to catch up with you, B) discover a terrible conspiracy at the heart of your organization or government and have to go against your own, or C) somehow become a target yourself when you’re double-crossed somehow.
From the sounds of it, the script for ‘The Professionals’ will go the third route, but in a new way.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate has nabbed the rights to the screenplay, which is being described as ‘Clue’ meets ‘John Wick.’ And the latter title is particularly telling, as ‘Wick’ maestro Chad Stahelski has agreed to produce the movie via his 87Eleven company.
Related Article: Director Chad Stahelski Offers Details on Plans For His ‘Highlander’ Reboot
What’s the story of ‘The Professionals’?
(L to R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves speak onstage at Comic-Con at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
‘The Professionals’ –– nothing to do with the 1970s/1980s cop show from the UK (though like ‘The Avengers,’ it could eventually undergo a title shift if it makes it over there) –– follows a group of contract killers stranded in an English countryside estate when one of them is murdered and the remaining group has to solve the death.
The script originated with Hunter Perot, the grandson of late business executive and presidential candidate Ross Perot, and it has now in the hands of Madison Turner, a stuntman–turned–scribe who is the son of Tierre Turner, a stunt performer and coordinator with credits on movies such as ‘Training Day’ and is currently on TV series ‘9-1-1.’
On the writing front, Turner scripted ‘Adam,’ an action vehicle for Anthony Mackie set up at Netflix. And he previously landed his Blacklist script ‘The Liberators’ at Warner Bros. with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society and Safehouse Pictures attached to produce.
Will Chad Stahelski direct ‘The Professionals’?
(L to R) Director Chad Stahelski, Laurence Fishburne as Bowery King, and Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Though he’s clearly passionate about the script, Stahelski may not have time on his schedule to actually direct it. And he’s always been about giving others their chance to handle movies.
Right now, he’s gearing up to shoot the remake of ‘Highlander’ with Henry Cavill starring, and while nothing has been formally confirmed (besides Lionsgate mentioning it), he’s developing a fifth ‘John Wick’ outing.
The fifth installment in the John Wick franchise. Plot TBA. Read the Plot
The ‘Wick’ world also takes up some of Stahelski’s producing time, since he’s the overseer of the franchise as a whole. Next up is the Ana de Armas–starring spin-off ‘Ballerina,’ directed by Len Wiseman and due in theaters on June 6th next year.
When would ‘The Professionals’ be on screen?
With no director in place, no casting and no shoot date, consider this one still in development limbo until cameras are rolling. If it casts up quickly and shoots soon, it could be with us before the end of 2025.
(L-R) Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves attend the Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation in support of ‘John Wick: Chapter Four’ at the Colosseum Theatre in Caesar’s Palace on April 28th, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.