Production, however, has since remained on schedule with The Expendables helmer Simon West tapped to direct beginning July 15 in Italy and the U.K. thereafter, and with the clock counting down until then, word has it from Deadline that Need For Speed and Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond star, actor Dominic Cooper is now tapped to lead instead. Falconer, formerly military himself, launched the original eight-part literary series in 2003 from which the film will be based, aimed at following the story of SBS commando and Northern-Ireland intelligence operative John Stratton as he and his team set out to eliminate an international terrorist cell.
SYNOPSIS:
Fiercely independent SBS agent Stratton is a good soldier – to a fault. Part of a special service team deployed in Kazakhstan on the tail of international terrorists, Gandapur and Pinskov, Stratton risks life, limb and even national security to do what he thinks is right.
Fighting with him is Aggy, his on-again-off-again love interest, a tomboy desperate to prove herself as a soldier and break through Stratton’s emotional armour to the good man she can see underneath. Hamdi is alongside them – a second-generation migrant and good friend of Aggy’s, he has a charm and poise quite different to Stratton’s straightforward soldiering. This very British team is joined by Hank, a young US navy Seal also looking to prove himself on the front line.
Their hunt for the enemy brings them unexpectedly deep into the heart of Europe and ever closer to home. In Rome they follow hot on the heels of Italian criminal Bascanti, a man who turns out to be at the centre of international terrorism, masterminding a terrorist attack on London.
When Stratton is captured by Bascanti’s henchmen he uncovers a mole within his team and his already chaotic reality is thrown even further into turmoil. With the enemy lurking around every corner, time is running out for Stratton. Who can he trust? Is it already too late?
Whiplash co-star, actor Austin Stowall in the role of Hank Munroe, a U.S. Navy Seal Lieutenant who joins Stratton on his harrowing mission with Gemma Chan, Tyler Hoechlin, Tom Felton, Thomas Kretschmann, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen and Jake Fairbrother rounding out the cast. Cooper is also set to appear in AMC's television adaptation of the hit comic book, Preacher, in addition to reprising his role as Howard Stark in the next season of Agent Carter premiering next year.
