Dave Bautista Set For Lionsgate Action Comedy ‘The Killer’s Game’

According To Deadline Lionsgate has taken worldwide rights to The Killer’s Game, an action comedy package that has Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) set to star and JJ Perry (Day Shift) aboard to direct. The studio will launch sales at the Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off tomorrow.

Based on Jay Bonansinga’s same-name novel, The Killer’s Game follows veteran assassin Joe Flood (Bautista), who is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizes a kill on himself to avoid the pain that is destined to follow. After ordering the kill, he finds out that he was misdiagnosed and must then fend off the army of former colleagues trying to kill him.

John Biondo and Christopher Davis negotiated deals on behalf of the studio, and additional casting is currently underway, with production set to kick off this summer.

“We are so thrilled to be making The Killer’s Game with Lionsgate and Endurance,” said Mad Chance’s Lazar. “We have searched far and wide and we finally found the perfect Joe Flood in Dave Bautista, who balances compelling action and incredible comic timing better than anyone else. And with JJ Perry at the helm, we know this film will deliver the kind of wholly original and unique action that global audiences crave.”

Stated Endurance Media’s Richards, “Lionsgate is the perfect home for this project. They have consistently proven their ability to connect action audiences with the best films in the genre. We are believers that The Killer’s Game is the perfect mix of action and comedy, and right now, there’s no one better at threading that needle than Dave Bautista. We can’t wait to get started.”