Principal Photography Begins On Silver Pictures’ And Studiocanal’s THE GUNMAN Starring Sean Penn

Photo: Silver Pictures, 2013 Gunman LTD

Silver Pictures and Studiocanal announce the start of principal photography of the international action thriller THE GUNMAN. Starring Sean Penn, the project unites the two time Academy Award winning actor with an extraordinary, unconventional ensemble cast including Javier Bardem, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance and Jasmine Trinca.

Directed by acclaimed French helmer Pierre Morel, the compelling script is written by Peter Travis and is based on the novel The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette. Joel Silver and Andrew Rona are producing through Silver Pictures, with Sean Penn. The film is fully financed by Studiocanal who handles worldwide sales and will distribute it in its four territories.

It is the second collaboration this year between Silver Pictures and Studiocanal after NON-STOP. Neeson is an air marshal who gets texts messages for a stranger who claims to be on board with him and threatens to murder the passengers. He must identify and stop the killer before time runs out. Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery (DOWNTON ABBEY) and Scoot McNairy (ARGO) also star in the film, currently shooting in New York. NON STOP is produced by Silver Pictures (Joel Silver).

NON-STOP

THE GUNMAN will shoot mainly in Barcelona, Spain and London.

Penn stars as Jim Terrier, an international operative who is betrayed by the organization he worked for, and must go on the run in a relentless game of cat and mouse across Europe.

The cast also includes Bardem, winner of the Academy Award for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN,  and co-star of recent Bond adventure SKYFALL; Elba, winner of the Golden Globe for his title role in television series “Luther” and soon to be seen in PACIFIC RIM and MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, as the former president of South Africa; Winstone, a veteran of UK and international films, including SEXY BEAST, THE SWEENEY and THE DEPARTED; and Rylance, twice winner of the Olivier and Tony Awards, most recently for his performance in Jerusalem on West End and Broadway stages.

Italian actress Trinca, who won multiple awards for her film debut in Nanni Moretti’s THE SON’S ROOM and recently won a 2013 Globi d’Oro (Italian Golden Globes) and a 2013 Nastro d’Argento for her role in Valeria Golino’s MILE, co-stars.

Director Morel launched the successful TAKEN franchise, starring Liam Neeson.  A third TAKEN film is planned.

SOURCE: Silver Pictures; Studiocanal