Sumith Prasad
Eddie Murphy-starrer heist film ‘The Pick Up’ is scheduled to start filming in Atlanta, Georgia, in September. Directed by Tim Story, the movie revolves around two armored truck drivers, who are “taken hostage to help execute a high stakes heist in a world-renowned Las Vegas hotel” amid a routine money run. As per sources, the film can be described as a heist comedy in the style of ‘Bad Boys.’
Despite the initial production plans, the shooting of the film may only commence once the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes conclude. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ ‘Haunted Mansion,’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ ‘They Cloned Tyrone,’ ‘Insidious: The Red Door,’ etc. are some of the recently released projects filmed in Atlanta.
Murphy will play a “guy who becomes smitten with a woman and finds himself mixed up in the heist attempt.” The famed actor-comedian recently completed the filming of ‘Candy Cane Lane,’ also starring Nick Offerman, and ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley,’ the fourth installment in the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ film series. His recent credits include Akbar in Netflix’s romantic comedy ‘You People,’ Prince Akeem/Clarence/Saul in ‘Coming 2 America,’ Rudy Ray Moore in ‘Dolemite Is My Name,’ Henry Joseph Church in ‘Mr. Church,’ Jack McCall in ‘A Thousand Words,’ Darnell “Slide” Davis in ‘Tower Heist,’ etc.
Tim Story, who is known for directing the two ‘Ride Along’ films, starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, is at the helm of the film. Story’s other popular films include ‘Barbershop,’ Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon-starrer ‘Taxi,’ ‘Fantastic Four,’ ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,’ Forest Whitaker-starrer ‘Hurricane Season,’ etc. His recent credits include ‘Dashing Through the Snow,’ ‘Praise This,’ ‘The Blackening,’ ‘Tom & Jerry,’ Samuel L. Jackson-starrer ‘Shaft,’ ABC’s drama series ‘Queens,’ etc.
The film is penned by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider, the duo who wrote Netflix’s teen movie ‘The Package’ and created the Condé Nast series ‘Gentlemen Lobsters.’ Burrows and Mider’s spec script for the film was auctioned, only for Amazon Studios to win the same with a seven-figure offer. Universal Pictures previously acquired the duo’s ‘Shots! Shots! Shots!’ with Jason Momoa as the lead actor.
The film is produced by John Davis and John Fox through the former’s banner, Davis Entertainment (‘Predator,’ ‘Prey,’ and ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’). Davis is collaborating with Story for the second time after producing ‘Shaft.’ The renowned producer joined hands with Murphy for five films, which include their latest ‘Dolemite Is My Name.’ Charisse Hewitt-Webster and Story serve as producers through Eddie Murphy Productions and The Story Company respectively.
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