Following the success of 20th Century Fox’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” director Matthew Vaughn seems content to stick with the spy game as the helmer has signed on to direct spy thriller “I Am Pilgrim” for MGM.
Based on Terry Hayes’ international bestseller, the story follows “Pilgrim,” the codename for a man who doesn’t exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Now in anonymous retirement, he is called upon to lend his expertise to an unusual investigation, but ultimately becomes caught in a terrifying race against time to save America from oblivion.
Vaughn will also produce and co-finance through his Marv Films. Lloyd Braun is producing through his Whalerock Industries banner with Andrew Mittman serving as executive producer. Hayes, a former journalist and screenwriter (“Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior,” “From Hell”) is adapting his novel for the screen. Production is scheduled to begin in 2016.
“We could not be more excited to have a consummate filmmaker like Matthew to bring ‘I Am Pilgrim’ to the screen,” said Jonathan Glickman, President of MGM Film Division. “His sensibility, coupled with Terry Hayes’ incredible story, gives us the ideal team to bring this character to the world wide audience.”
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After “Kingsman” overperformed at the box office, grossing $407 million worldwide, there was talk a sequel would be the next film Vaughn would direct. With his “Kingsman” star Taron Egerton about to start shooting Lionsgate’s “Robin Hood,” Vaughn has a window in his schedule before he jumps back into the comic book adaptation’s world.
Vaughn is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment.
