James Bond star Christoph Waltz has landed his next lead movie role in an action comedy titled Old Guy.
Simon West, director of Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and The Expendables 2 is set to helm the project as director, while the script has been written by Greg Johnson.
According to Deadline, Waltz will star in the new movie as an ageing contract killer called Terry Eubanks who is convinced he is still the best in the business.
Related: James Bond's Christoph Waltz stars in first trailer for new series The Consultant
Facing a dead end, The Company re-enlists Eubanks, much to his delight, to train a Gen Z newcomer, and prodigy, named Wihlborg, though Wihlborg's attitude threatens to get in the way.
Initially mismatched, the pair are tasked with eliminating the top members of a rival crime syndicate, only to uncover the truth behind their employer's motive.
The Company's attempt to remove the old guard and enact a full takeover is thwarted when Eubanks bonds with the kid and their unique skills are combined in an effort to turn it all back around on The Company.
Related: Bond star Rami Malek lines up return to TV in new role
Speaking of the film, which is set to start filming in 2023 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, director Simon West said: "It's very rare that a script like this one comes along. When it does you have to grab it with both hands and don’t let it go until you find your perfect actor.
"I’ve wanted to work with Christoph Waltz for many years. He is one of the most versatile actors working today. I can’t wait to see him create yet another unique and iconic character."
Meanwhile, the first trailer for Waltz's new Amazon Prime Video series The Consultant was released earlier this month.
Waltz is set to star as Regus Patoff, a creepy business consultant, in the eight-part series based on Bentley Little's 2015 novel of the same name. The Consultant will premiere on Prime Video on February 24.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
