When we first reported about Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller, “Knockout” starring mixed martial arts champion Gina Carano, we did say the title of the film was a working one and would probably change, did we not?
And change it has. According to tweets by Jules Asner, Soderbergh’s wife, and other tweets and message board reports at a recent screening, the film is now titled, “Haywire” and has been set for a January 2011 release.
The film has an incredible supporting cast including Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds,” “Hunger”), Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton (who made a last minute sub-in for Dennis Quaid who had to drop out), Michael Angarano, French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz (“Amelie,” Spielberg’s “Munich”).
The film centers on a black ops soldier (Carano) who seeks revenge after she is betrayed and set up during a mission. We read the Lem Dobbs-penned script earlier this year and it is no frills, taut and lean to the bone at just over 90 pages; a riveting and sharp read.
If the picture is screening, has a title and is scheduled, it sounds like it’s basically done and awaiting its release by Lionsgate. The action thriller was shot all over the world including Barcelona, New Mexico and Dublin.
Next up for Soderbergh is the Scott Z. Burns-written virus thriller “Contagion” which is scheduled to shoot this fall in 3D and features an amazing all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Laurence Fishburne. Warner Bros. has already given it a October 21, 2011 release date.