Shubhabrata Dutta
William Butler will collaborate with a veteran actor for his next film! The Cinemaholic has learned that Michael Jai White will star in the comedy-drama movie ‘Special Op: Rent-a-Cop.’ Principal photography for the project will begin on December 2 in Louisville, Kentucky. The cast also includes Danielle Kennedy, Maile Flanagan, Matthew Gademske, and Lynne Acton McPherson. Butler wrote the screenplay.
The plot centers on Special Agent Brock Belfry (White), who gets injured in the line of duty and is subsequently discharged from service after being sent to the hospital. He falls in love with a nurse and reluctantly accepts a small-town job as a rent-a-cop. While escorting a van full of unruly senior citizens to Las Vegas for their summer trip, he realizes his past has caught up to him. His arch-enemies who tried to kill him on the “battlefield” have tracked him down and intend to take him out. Thus, a battle of wits ensues as he tries to protect the oblivious elderly travelers and himself.
White may be known for his action films, but he is no stranger to the comedy genre, having played Marcus Williams in Tyler Perry‘s comedy movies ‘Why Did I Get Married?’ ‘Why Did I Get Married Too?’ and the sitcom ‘Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse.’ He also starred as Vincent in the sitcom ‘Black-ish,’ Black Dynamite in the Blaxploitation action comedy film ‘Black Dynamite,’ Undercover Brother in ‘Undercover Brother 2,’ and Johnny Black in the Western comedy film ‘Outlaw Johnny Black.’
White is primarily known for portraying Al Simmons/Spawn in the superhero film ‘Spawn,’ which made him the first Black American to portray a major comic book superhero. As far as action is concerned, his notable acting credits include Casey “Case” Walker Jr. in ‘Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown,’ Isaiah Bone in ‘Blood and Bone,’ Jax Briggs in ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy,’ and Cyborg Seth in ‘Universal Soldier: The Return.’ In addition, White played Mike Tyson in HBO’s ‘Tyson.’
Butler is known for horror comedies such as ‘Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust,’ ‘Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver,’ ‘Beyond the Resonator,’ and the ‘Baby Oopsie’ film series. He also directed the Christmas movie ‘3 Bears Christmas,’ the horror movie ‘Demonic Toys: Jack-Attack,’ and the mystery thriller film ‘Dead Voices.’ As far as television is concerned, he has directed several episodes of the horror series ‘Baby Oopsie: The Series’ and the Disney shows ‘Disney Get Connected’ and ‘Disney Game On.’
Louisville has served as a significant filming location for films like Ethan Hawke‘s biographical drama ‘Wildcat,’ Ash Avildsen’s ‘Queen of the Ring,’ and Laurel Parmet’s coming-of-age drama film ‘The Starling Girl.’
