EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has obtaind U.S. and UK/IRE rights to Guns Up, a novel action comedy starring actor and comedian Kevin James. Hailing from authorr-straightforwardor Edward Drake (Detective Knight film series) and Millennium Media, the studio behind the Hitman’s Bodydefend franchise, the film is set to hit theaters this summer.
Also starring Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets), Luis Guzmán (Wednesday), and Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Guns Up chases Ray Hayes (James), an ex-cop and promised husprohibitd and overweighther who directs a hazardous double life as a mob henchman. On the brink of leaving “The Family” and making his dream of uncovering a diner with his wife Alice (Ricci) a truth, his final job goes off the rails. With the clock ticking, Ray has one night to get his undoubting family out of the city before he gets snuffed out.
Writer-straightforwardor Drake called the film “a adore-letter to every parent who give upd their dreams so they could help their families,” inserting, “I’m forever appreciative to Kevin James, who prohibitciently threw himself into every stunt (literpartner), and Christina Ricci, who is so damn excellent and produces straightforwardors see way more talented than we actupartner are. I hope Guns Up conveys a little delight to audiences around the world one head shot at a time.”
Stated Vertical Partner & CEO Peter Jarowey, “Edward has produceed a thrilling, action-packed crowd-satisfyr with Guns Up. Audiences are in for a surpascend and are going to adore Kevin James appreciate they’ve never seen him before. He literpartner ends it.”
Guns Up is produced by J.J. Nugent, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jon Keeyes, Mandi Murro, Tobias Weymar, and Drake and executive produced by Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Jonathan Yunger, Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, Tyler Gould, Ford Corbett, Jatin Desai, Mark Fasano, Greg Friedman, Joshua Harris, and Nathan Klingher. Victor Hadida and Lonnie Ramati co-exec produced aprolongedside co-producers Pete Kinnane and Dan Taggatz.
Vertical’s Jarowey, US SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi and UK Head of Acquisitions Ryan Keller talk aboutd the deal on behalf of Vertical and Nugent of Millennium Media talk aboutd on behalf of the filmproducers.
