Ewan McGregor is one of our favorite actors, and his choices usually tend to be a bit off the beaten path, and undeniably interesting. However, the thriller or action genre isn't one he's dipped his toes into too often. Oh sure, there's "Haywire" but he was mostly on the phone in that one, and Michael Bay's "The Island" didn't quite work (and the less said about the "Star Wars" prequels, the better, though they likely ensure a pretty nice annual check). All that aside, it looks like he'll be picking up the guns again for a movie where he'll portray public enemy number one.
McGregor is set to star in "Son Of A Gun," the feature debut of Julius Avery, who is also penning the script. Not many plot details are being revealed just yet, but McGregor will play a criminal and the film will examine the relationship with his protegé. It doesn't seem to be based on a true story (though it sure sounds like it could be). There is also a heist element involved in the thriller, but again, not much word of what that will actually entail. Like we said, the actor tends to select intriguing material, so we'll be curious to see how it develops.
Production will get underway in Australia in early 2013, but until then, you can watch the trailer for Avery's Cannes Jury Prize winning short "Jerrycan" right here. [Variety]