Alan Ritchson has added another movie to his busy schedule, but this one is different.
Variety reports that Ritchson is in negotiations to lead Maelstrom, an action movie whose spec script was originally sold to Warner Bros. way back in 1993. Now, 33 years later, Netflix is finally making the movie with Jaume Collet-Serra attached to direct.
Mark Bianculli (How to Rob a Bank) has been tapped to refresh the script for Maelstrom, from a first draft by late writer Gregory Fitzpatrick. The action film follows “a Federal Marshal guarding the fiancée of an arms dealer seeking witness protection. Events unfold over the course of one evening as a hurricane rolls in, blocking outside communication and preventing reinforcements from arriving. Together they must fight to survive the onslaught of men working for the arms dealer, as well as the escalating elements of the natural disaster raging outside.”
So why is Maelstrom getting made now? Well, after the success of Collet-Serra’s Carry-On, another script that spent years collecting dust before being made, Netflix’s Ori Marmur put out the call to top producers for their best unmade projects with high-concept hooks, leading to Maelstrom finally being dusted off.
Ritchson is a great choice to topline Maelstrom. He remains extremely popular with streaming audiences thanks to his breakout role of Jack Reacher on Prime Video’s Reacher. He’s also found success at Netflix with the action sci-fi film War Machine, which has become one of the 10 most popular original films to ever be released on the streamer. A sequel is in the works.
Are you excited to see Maelstrom? Who would you have tapped to direct and star in this back in the mid-90s? Comment below with your picks!
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