Jason Statham Leaves Kevin Hart and Man From Toronto Hanging
Jason Statham has just exited The Man From Toronto, the action comedy that would have paired him with Kevin Hart, less than six weeks before production was set to commence. Deadline reports that Statham, who is coming off the hits Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and Meg, had a play or pay deal and ran into creative differences with the studio. The action star wanted Man From Toronto to go for an edgier R-rating, which the studio felt was inappropriate given the film’s current Thanksgiving release date.
The report states that the studio plans to keep Hart on board and will quickly reach out to find a replacement for Statham in order to keep the film on the fast track.
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The Man from Toronto uses a case of mistaken identity as the film’s jumping-off point after the world’s deadliest assassin, known as the Man from Toronto, and a New York City screw-up run into each other at an Airbnb. A clash of personalities, and a clash with deadly killers, ensues. Statham was set to play the assassin.
Patrick Hughes (Hitman’s Bodyguard, Red Hill, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard) is still set to direct the feature. The script is written by Robbie Fox (Playing for Keeps) from a story by Fox and Jason Blumenthal (Masters of the Universe).
Blumenthal will produce the project alongside his Escape Artists’ (The Upside) partners Todd Black and Steve Tisch.
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The studio is hoping for a March production start, with the film set to be released on November 20, 2020.
