Luc Besson, the man who’s never met a cliche he can’t exploit into a gimmicky action thriller, is in talks with Sony to distribute the space thriller “Lockout.” Originally shopped as a high-concept 3D adventure called “Section Eight,” the script, penned by Besson and co-directors James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, would find Guy Pearce as a wrongly-accused convict who must clear his name by undergoing a suicide mission to rescue the President’s daughter (Maggie Grace).
And where is the daughter? Why, trapped in a futuristic space prison! During a riot! So that’s a couple of John Carpenter movies we’re borrowing from. Shooting starts this September, though the news from Deadline Hollywood doesn’t mention the 3D element, which could mean it’s been discarded. Pearce has “Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark” and “The Hungry Rabbit Jumps” coming up in addition to his co-starring role in the (rather excellent) Aussie thriller “Animal Kingdom” while Grace is apparently signed for another go-round in a prospective “Taken 2.” How many times can this girl get kidnapped?
