Black Bear is underway in the UK and Ireland on their untitled Jason Statham action-thriller, which is confirmed today as being directed by Ric Roman Waugh (Greenland). Joining Statham are newcomer Bodhi Rae Breathnach (upcoming Hamnet), Oscar nominee Bill Nighy (Living), BAFTA winner Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice), and BAFTA nominee Daniel Mays (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).

Based on a script by Ward Parry with revisions by Christian Contreras and Parry, we broke news of the project back in Cannes where Black Bear introduced it to the market, co-representing the U.S. rights with Range Select. Baltasar Kormakur was previously attached to direct but had to exit. Black Bear will continue sales at the EFM.

Producers on the picture include Statham (The Beekeeper) for Punch Palace Productions, John Friedberg (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) for Black Bear, Brendon Boyea (Kandahar) for Cinemachine, and Jon Berg (Wonder Woman) and former WB exec Greg Silverman for Stampede Ventures. Teddy Schwarzman and Michael Heimler will serve as executive producers for Black Bear.

Statham, who in the film will play a man pulled back towards the ghosts of his violent past, is currently reteaming with David Ayer on action-thriller A Working Man, and recently wrapped production on Mutiny with Jean-Francois Richet for Mad River.

Rising young actress Bodhi Rae Breathnach starred in the BBC series The Capture and So Awkward Academy and her first film role will be opposite Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, produced by Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes.

Waugh’s disaster film Greenland, starring Gerard Butler, cemented Waugh as a go-to for action fare, and he recently wrapped the sequel, Greenland: Migration.