What’s the story?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, former WWE superstar Dave Bautista will pair up with actor Sylvester Stallone for Escape Plan 2, the sequel to the 2013 prison-break thriller.
In case you didn’t know...
The 48-year-old wrestler turned actor rose to fame with his scene-stealing performance as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of Galaxy. Bautista reprises the role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which first releases on 25th April in Italy.
Represented by Gersh, Meisner Entertainment Group and Mitchell Silberberg, Batista earlier played the role of a villain in James Bond movie Spectre. He has recently also wrapped a role opposite Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling in Blade Runner 2049 and is currently shooting for Avengers: Infinity War.
The heart of the matter
Sequel to the 2013 film, Escape plan 2 features a security expert named Ray Breslin, who uses his skills to test out the reliability of maximum security prisons. Sylvester Stallone is seen in the move as a charismatic lead with a reserved character.
Directed by Steven C Miller, the movie revolves around how Breslin fights his way out with Emil Rottmayer, a role Arnold Schwarzenegger played in the initial film. Escape Plan 2 is going to be a China-US co-production via Beijing-based Leomus Pictures, who are co-financing the film.
The screenplay is written by Miles Chapman while the producers of the movie include Mark Canton and Zack Schiller. However, there’s been no news on whether Amy Ryan or Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson would be returning in the movie.
What’s next?
Shooting for Escape Plan 2 was initially reported to start from this month in Ohio and China. However, plans have changed. Production is expected to begin sometime this spring in Atlanta, with a budget significantly lower than the first movie. While Håfström’s film cost a reported $50 million, the sequel’s budget is at $20 million.
Bautista is next scheduled to shoot for Hotel Artemis, a sci-fi thriller with Jodie Foster, after the completion of Avengers: Infinity War.
Author’s take
A lot can be learned from pro wrestling about character development as well as the ability to perform at a high level, which is why wrestlers such as The Rock, Batista and John Cena have succeeded in becoming established actors in Hollywood.
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