Cannes: Kevin James to Star in Action-Comedy ‘Guns Up’ (Exclusive)

The King of Queens and Paul Blart: Mall Cop star Kevin James is set to star in the new action comedy Guns Up, playing an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman. When a job goes horribly wrong and both of his worlds collide, he has one night to get his family out of the city.

Millennium Media, known for the Hitman’s Bodyguard and Expendables franchise, is handling world sales on the upcoming feature and will be pitching it to international buyers at the Cannes Film Market next week.

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Edward Drake, director of Amazon Prime thriller Broil, will direct Guns Up from his own screenplay. Production on Guns Up is set to start in June, with BondIt Media Capital financing and assisting with project packaging.

“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Ed on this film, which stars the incredibly talented Kevin James doing what he does best — delivering action-packed thrills and hilarious one-liners,” said Millennium vp international sales and distribution JJ Nugent. “When I first read the script, I couldn’t help but draw similarities to our Hitman’s Bodyguard franchise as it has a seamless blend of action and comedy, coupled with an unexpected family dynamic that’s full of surprises.”

Drake, Tobias Weymar and Jon Keeyes will produce Guns Up. The executive producers include BondIt Media Capital’s Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor.

Millennium’s upcoming slate includes The Bricklayer starring Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev, The Piper with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands and the fourth installment of The Expendables franchise, as well as hotly anticipated comic book adaptation Red Sonja with Matilda Lutz, Wallis Day and Robert Sheehan.

BondIt Media Capital is heading to the Cannes with a number of films in post, including John Travolta-starrer Cash Out, Blood For Dust with Kit Harington, and Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, The Dating Game.

James is repped by UTA, Jeff Sussman Management and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

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