Pratik Handore
Arnold Schwarzenegger has once again found his way into the pulse of fans with the recent success of his starring turn in his first scripted original series ‘FUBAR‘ and the documentary series ‘Arnold,’ both released on Netflix. Therefore, viewers might forget that it has been almost four years since the ‘Terminator’ star appeared on the silver screen, with his last theatrical release being the 2019 box-office bomb ‘Terminator: Dark Fate.’ However, Schwarzenegger is all set to return to the big screen and his action roots with his upcoming film, ‘Breakout,’ which is slated to commence production in late 2023. Filming is expected to take place in Eastern Europe, primarily in Hungary.
The Schwarzenegger-led project will be helmed by filmmaker Scott Waugh who has signed on to direct. Waugh is best known for his work on action thriller movies, including ‘Act of Valor’ and ‘Need for Speed.’ Waugh is also the director of the upcoming ‘Expend4bles,’ the fourth installment in the ‘Expendables’ franchise, of which Schwarzenegger has been a part in the past. The screenplay for ‘Breakout’ was penned by Richard D’Ovidio, based on a story he co-wrote with Nicole D’Ovidio. Schwarzenegger will star as Terry Reynolds, who embarks on a mission to free his stepson from a prison in a foreign country after the latter is framed and sentenced to serve 25 years.
‘Breakout’ is financed by Anton, a UK-based financier and sales firm, which is expected to market the movie in the upcoming Cannes market. The film will be co-produced by Off The Pier Productions. Sebastien Raybaud and John Zois of Anton are expected to assume producer roles on the project. “We are proud to be on board to make Scott’s vision come alive with the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead. This is the perfect fit for Anton’s slate to continue delivering high-quality entertainment with (a) big scale to the global market,” Raybaud said in a press release confirming Anton’s involvement with the project.
They will be joined by Off the Pier Productions’ Jeff Elliott and Chad Moore. Cindy Cowan of Cindy Cowan Entertainment, who is best known for her role as a producer on movies such as ‘Scorched,’ ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking,’ and ‘Red Lights’ will also serve as a producer alongside Carsten Lorenz and Danny Chan from Almost Never Films. Steve Ponce is expected to serve in an executive producer role. Other casting details besides Schwarzenegger’s starring role are yet to be announced. However, the film’s late 2023 production start date could be affected by the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood. If the strikes do not reach a satisfactory resolution, filming of ‘Breakout’ will likely be postponed into 2024 and beyond. In the meantime, Schwarzenegger will appear in the upcoming martial arts comedy movie ‘Kung Fury 2.’ The film is expected to release after several delays on November 17, 2023.
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