Ryan Gosling is closing in on a deal to star in The Fall Guy, a drama about a stuntman that’s in the works at Universal. David Leitch (John Wick, Deadpool 2) is prepping to direct the movie in Australia, and the project will reportedly employ over 1,000 Australian crew members and 3,000 extras.
The film is based on the television series that ran from 1981-86, which was created by Glen A. Larson and starred Lee Majors as a Hollywood stuntman who has a side hustle as a bounty hunter to make ends meet. The film adaptation was previously set up with Dwayne Johnson in the lead and McG directing.
The project is expected to inject around $170 million into the Australian economy. The film is also receiving funding from the Australian government, with Australia’s federal government and the New South Wales state authorities providing $21.1 million and $10.2 million, respectively.
The pairing of Gosling and Leitch for this project makes a world of sense. Not only is Leitch a former stunt performer and coordinator – he was a stunt double for Brad Pitt five times – but Gosling has already played a stuntman in one of his defining roles; Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Drive.
The two of them should have a blast with this project. Right now it’s unclear exactly how much this film version is going to lift from the TV series, or if it’s just using the show as a model for a different sort of story.
Gosling is currently working on Joe and Anthony Russo‘s The Gray Man with Chris Evans and Ana de Armas.
It’s the most expensive film ever made by Netflix, so expect plenty of promotion for it before it arrives on Friday, July 15. He’s also signed on to play Ken in the live-action Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and being directed by Greta Gerwig.
Leitch is currently in post-production on Bullet Train, which will star his former collaborator Pitt. That’s due out in June.
Hopefully more information regarding The Fall Guy will arrive soon.
#Peace.Love.TheFallGuy
