Actor Dave Bautista is in talks to star in Netflix's Unleashed with brothers Jim Kehoe and Brian Kehoe, who previously wrote Blockers, attached to pen the script, according to an exclusive from Deadline. Jeff Tomsic, best known for directing the 2018 comedy film Tag, is set to direct the upcoming project.
The film will center on a police officer (Bautista) and Boomer, his best friend and canine partner that is capable of sniffing out any crime. When Boomer tragically dies in the line of duty, the heartbroken cop vows to never work with another canine partner again, until he ends up working with Zeus. With an interesting premise such as that, Unleashed could potentially be an exciting and fun film for dog lovers to look out for when it debuts in the near future.
While further details have not been given about Unleashed, more is expected to be revealed as development for the project furthers. Alongside penning the script, the Kehoe brothers will also serve as executive producers for the upcoming project from Netflix. After the critical success of Blockers, the Kehoe brothers appear to be making a name for themselves in Hollywood with several big projects now on the way. The two screenwriters are also set to pen the script for Paramount's tennis comedy, Double Fault, starring Rebel Wilson which will center on a former tennis player who attempts to redeem herself by coaching a young player.
Alongside his talks to headline Unleashed, Bautista is also set to star in Rian Johnson's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery later this year in an undisclosed role, which will debut on Netflix as well. Outside of Netflix, Bautista will star in next year's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 where he will reprise his role as Drax the Destroyer, a fan favorite character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor is also set to return as Rabban in Dune: Part Two, which is expected to debut in theaters on November 17, 2023. Other upcoming projects from the actor include Knock at the Cabin, an apocalyptic horror film from M. Night Shyamalan, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which will premiere on Disney+, and the animated series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas as a voice role.
Bautista will produce Unleashed alongside Jonathan Meisner with Chris Bender and Jake Weiner from Good Fear. Due to the film's status in early development, no release date has been set yet. Unleashed will premiere exclusively on Netflix. Check out our interview with Bautista on Army of the Dead, Dune, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below: