Aaron Eckhart is going undercover in a new high-octane Millennium Media film titled, The Bricklayer. Eckhart will play an ex-CIA operative who is brought back to the agency on a mission to uncover the identity of an unknown perpetrator slaughtering foreign members of the media and framing the CIA for the killings. Known for being a cunning yet defiant agent, Eckhart’s character will soon find himself smack dab in the middle of an international emergency, as well as a face-off with his personal demons, as all eyes focus on America's involvement in the slayings.
Spearheading The Bricklayer as a director is world-renowned action filmmaker, Renny Harlin. Known for his work helming thrillers such as Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2, and Deep Blue Sea, Harlin is the obvious choice to bring this story of deception to life. Septembers of Shiraz writer, Hanna Weg, is penning the script alongside Into the Blue scribe, Matt Johnson. Millennium Media is producing with Gerard Butler after both teamed up with Eckhart on the Has Fallen films.
Known for his roles in action packed films including The Dark Knight, Olympus Has Fallen, and Line of Duty, Eckhart is sure to shine as the CIA agent searching for answers amidst a global cover up. Along with his action themed films, Eckhart earned critical acclaim for his performance in the 2000's drama, Erin Brockovich, and received a Golden Globe nomination for his work in Thank You for Smoking.
After working on films in China over the last five years, Harlin commented that he is “excited to be back making a high caliber Hollywood action thriller.” The director’s time in China also taught him the necessary role that emotional dialogue and acting plays in creating a successful film. In his statement, Harlin praised writers, Weg and Johnson, saying that the screenplay features a “combination of well layered characters, intricate plotting and propulsive action.” Finally, Harlin celebrates Eckhart’s performance saying, “In Aaron Eckhart I have found a first class dramatic actor, who also has the physicality and charm to bring this iconic character to life.”
Along with Harlin, Vice President of Development for Millennium Media, Tanner Mobley, spoke of his eagerness to get to work on the film, commenting, “This is an incredible opportunity to develop a strong new IP into a potential franchise. Renny Harlin knows how to execute big action, and Aaron Eckhart is such a versatile actor who will bring great depth to this character. We couldn’t be more excited to launch this film with our talented team.”
While we don’t yet have a release date for the film, we do know that production is expected to begin in Greece in March. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on The Bricklayer.