Emily Blunt has joined Ryan Gosling in Universal's The Fall Guy movie adaptation from director David Leitch which also announced a release date. After getting his start as a stunt performer and coordinator, Leitch has enjoyed a steady rise to stardom since making his uncredited directorial debut on John Wick alongside Chad Stahelski. Since then, Leitch has helmed a series of hits in Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. His latest summer action flick is Bullet Train which released in theaters earlier this month.
Leitch's next project, The Fall Guy, is already in the works and set to start filming this fall. With a script penned by Hobbs & Shaw writer Drew Pearce, the forthcoming film is inspired by the classic 1980s television series of the same name which aired on ABC and followed a trio of Hollywood stunt performers who seek secondary employment as bounty hunters. Precise plot details remain under wraps, though The Fall Guy movie is inspired by Leitch's own personal experience as a Hollywood stuntman. The film has already cast Gosling in a lead role fresh off Netflix's The Gray Man and now, the film had added another A-list action star.
The Wrap is the first to report that Blunt has joined Gosling in The Fall Guy. A theatrical release date was also announced, as the film is set to bow on March 1, 2024. The two are the only two confirmed members of The Fall Guy film cast thus far.
Blunt's casting in The Fall Guy continues her ascent in the action genre after roles in Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario, and the Quiet Place franchise, giving her another potential franchise role to showcase her chops as a veritable action star. The actress just finished filming Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated film, Oppenheimer, for Universal. Now, Blunt's casting in The Fall Guy will keep her in-house for the time being, which is becoming increasingly important to studios.
In The Fall Guy, Gosling will seemingly be taking a lead role modeled after Lee Majors' character, Colt Seavers, from the TV series. Now, Blunt's casting signifies she will play a character based in some part on Jody Banks, Heather Thomas' female lead from the 1980s show, though this is pure speculation at this point. On the show, Colt was accompanied by his cousin and stuntman-in-training, Howie "Kid" Munson (Douglas Barr), so the movie might be looking to fill that de facto role next. The Fall Guy has made a major splash casting two A-listers in Gosling and Blunt, so it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.
Source: The Wrap