Previously known as The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman with Shia LaBeouf lined up to star, Mandate Pictures has announced that not only is the film currently going by the singularly uncatchy name, Untitled Matt Drake Project (Drake is the screenwriter), but that Zac Efron has signed on to take over from LaBeouf in the lead role.
It’s also been revealed that Swedish commercials director Fredrik Bond, who’s been mooted for numerous Hollywood projects but is yet to make his feature debut, will direct the flick.
The Zef will play a suburban kid who spontaneously travels to Eastern Europe to find himself (as you do). Early on in his comedic journey, he falls for an alluring young woman and the only thing standing between them is her charismatic, dangerous ex from the criminal underworld. Armed with little more than his wit and naive charm, Efron endures one bruising beat down after another in order to woo the girl he loves and achieve salvation. Oh dear, poor old Zac.
It’s good news for Zac, who has numerous projects in development, but currently only has the Nichlas Spark adaptation, The Lucky One, and a part in the ensemble flick, New Year’s Eve, in the can. He could do with making a few more flicks both to keep himself in the public eye, and convince audiences that there’s more to him than being the good looking kids out of High School Musical. He’d hoped to prove himself with Charlie St. Cloud, but as that film was a bit of a dud, he’s now in need of something a bit more memorable. Perhaps the former Charlie Countryman can do that for him. (Source: Variety)