Say what you will about Michael Bay, his overuse of explosions and slow-motion hero shots, but the man can get a pretty good cast together. Case in point, last month it was reported that Jake Gyllenhaal was in talks to star in Bay’s new film, “Ambulance.” Now, he’s getting some company in the form of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza González.
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop on Abdul-Mateen being cast in Bay’s upcoming thriller. Not only that, but we finally know something about the plot. According to the report, the film is a remake of the 2005 Danish thriller “Ambulancen,” which follows two brothers committing a robbery in order to pay for their dying mother’s operation. In the run from the cops, they steal an ambulance and discover they’re carrying a female paramedic and a patient in critical condition. The original film plays entirely inside the ambulance and in real-time.
The remake was written by “Chuck” creator Chris Fedak and the project has been around for a while, but it seems we may finally see it get made. The one big change to the original script that we know of, involves one of the main characters being a vet returning from Afghanistan. According to THR, the script was rewritten to open the door for Abdul-Mateen to play Gyllenhaal’s partner in crime, instead of his brother. Additionally, Eiza González will play the role of the paramedic.
When it comes to the casting news, it’s hard not to be excited. Abdul-Mateen quickly became a must-watch actor with scene-stealing roles in “Aquaman,” “Watchmen,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” And like Gyllenhaal, he’s keeping extremely, having already shot scenes for the next “The Matrix,” the upcoming “Candyman” remake, and a starring role opposite Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in George Miller’s “Mad Max” Furiosa spinoff. Likewise, González was a standout performance in “Baby Driver.”
Universal will handle distribution for “Ambulance,” which is being produced by Bradley Fischer, William Sherak and James Vanderbilt for an expected shooting start at the top of the new year.