John Cusack and Thomas Jane are set to star in Hard Drive, a thriller that starts shooting in Queensland on June 4.
The writer-director is Los Angeles-based Brian Trenchard-Smith. It’s his second film to be shot on the Gold Coast following last year’s Absolute Deception, which stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Emmanuelle Vaugier and was acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions in the US.
Cusack will play a mysterious American who arrives in Brisbane and goes looking for a getaway driver. He hires a driving school instructor and washed-out Formula One driver (Jane). There follows a chase along the Gold Coast as the duo is pursued by the cops and the Mob.
Casting is underway for the supporting roles including the lawyer wife of Jane’s character, a no-nonsense female Australian Federal Police Officer, a ruthless businessman and a corrupt cop.
The producers are Odyssey’s Paul O’Kane and Pam Collis, in association with LA-based Voltage Pictures. Odyssey’s Kirk Shaw is the exec producer. Voltage is handling international sales.
It’s Trenchard-Smith’s 42rd film. The director started his career in Australia on films such as The Man From Hong Kong, Stunt Rock, BMX Bandits and Turkey Shoot.
Odyssey Film Studios Australia and sister company Odyssey Media Inc. Canada’s credits include the Australian shot features Bad Karma, starring Ray Liotta and Dominic Purcell, and Absolute Deception, and the North American produced features Uwe Boll’s Suddenly, starring Purcell, and Out of Reach with Erin Karpluk.