There’s been a lot of interest in Hollywood in Aaron Guzikowski’s spec script for Prisoners. Earlier this year, all sorts of big name were rumoured to be ready to take part in the film, with Bryan Singer possibly directing and Christian Bale and Mark Whalberg attached to star.
However when the script was bought by the production company Alcon, they decided to reposition it slightly, lowering the budget (to about $30-$40 million, which meant removing Wahlberg and Bale) but fast-tracking it so that they could put it into production as soon as possible.
Now it seems they’ve found the man they want to direct the movie, as THR is reporting that Antoine Fuqua, director of Training Day, King Arthur and Shooter is is talks to helm the project. The film itself is about a small-town man who becomes frustrated after the police fail to find who kidnapped his daughter and her friend. He takes matters into his own hands when he takes hostage the person he thinks is respoinsible, which brings him into conflict with the policeman assigned to the case.
It’s certainly a great set-up, with many comparing it to Mystic River and Taken (it’ll be interesting to find out how the hell it can be like both those movies, other than being a revenge thriller, as they’ve not exactly similar), and Fuqua’s previous movies suggest he could be a good man to handle it. Alcon is hoping to start production on the film as soon as possible, with plans to get it into cinemas sometime next year.