Harsh Vardhan
Cameras are ready to roll for Alan Ritchson’s ‘Motor City!’ The action thriller’s shooting will start in Saudi Arabia and New Jersey in early July. Potsy Ponciroli is directing the movie, replacing Timur Bekmambetov, who was previously on board to helm it. Chad St. John wrote the screenplay. The plot revolves around Ritchson’s John Miller, a resilient Detroit native who emerges from a stint in prison to unleash a rampage of brutal vengeance on those who framed him.
In Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,’ Ritchson portrayed a Danish member of a specialized British military unit during World War II. He played Ed in ‘Ordinary Angels,’ which, based on a true story, follows a hairdresser who leads a community to save a young girl’s life. Additionally, the actor takes on the titular character in the Prime Video series ‘Reacher,’ a crime drama chronicling a former military policeman’s efforts to solve varying and intricate cases. He has also appeared in projects like ‘Fast X‘ and ‘Titans.’
Ponciroli recently wrote and directed ‘Old Henry,’ a tale about a farmer who harbors a wounded stranger carrying a satchel of money. The filmmaker also directed multiple episodes of the show ‘Still the King,’ which follows the misadventures of Vernon Brownmule, a former Elvis impersonator navigating life after a DUI incident. His credits include the documentary ‘Colt Ford: Crank It Up, Live at Wild Adventures.’
St. John’s writing credits include ‘Replicas,’ in which a scientist’s obsession drives him to attempt to resurrect his deceased family members. He also penned ‘Peppermint,’ an action thriller that follows a grieving mother who seeks vengeance against those responsible for her family’s murder. Furthermore, he was part of the writing team of ‘London Has Fallen,’ a high-stakes thriller revolving around an assassination plot during a global event.
Greg Silverman (‘Gold Diggers’) and Jon Berg (‘Justice League’ and ‘The Saint of Second Chances’) produce the film through Stampede Ventures. Cliff Roberts (George Clooney’s ‘The Midnight Sky’ and Russell Crowe’s ‘Sleeping Dogs’) and St. John are also producers.
Saudi Arabia has become a major production hub for Hollywood projects, especially after the establishment of the studio facility Film AlUla. The Middle Eastern country is a filming location for ‘Kandahar‘ and ‘Norah.’ Meanwhile, New Jersey is featured in recent productions like ‘Fallout‘ and ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.’
