Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Grown Ups 2, Here Comes the Boom, Zookeeper) will star in The True Memoirs of an International Assassin, it was announced today by Merced Media principal and PalmStar Media CEO Kevin Frakes. The film will be directed by Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) and is based on an original Black List script by Jeff Morris.
PalmStar Media and Global Film Group will produce the picture which is set to begin production in September. Merced Media and PalmStar will finance. Good Universe will launch international sales at the upcoming Cannes market. WME is handling the US rights.
Todd Garner (Paul Blart: Mall Cop, XXX) and Kevin Frakes will produce alongside Raja Collins and Justin Begnaud (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) of Global Film Group and Raj Brinder Singh (American Ultra) of Merced Media. Hey Eddie’s Jeff Sussman (Zookeeper) and PalmStar Media’s Mark Fasano and Buddy Patrick will executive produce.
In the film, a mild-mannered accountant and would-be author (Kevin James) is mistaken for a killer-for-hire when his fictional novel about an international assassin is published as a true story. Trying to escape his sudden fame and celebrity, he heads to Belize but is immediately entangled in an assassination plot. Thrown into a world of real danger, he must find a way to channel his lead character Colt Rodgers and save the day.
Garner stated, “Kevin and I are very excited to team up with PalmStar and Merced on ‘True Memoirs.’ This is going to be a fun, action-packed ride and will definitely show a side to Kevin that nobody has ever seen.”
Frakes added, “We can’t wait to drop Kevin in these crazy and intense situations and let the world see the bad-ass he truly is.”
“We are ecstatic to be working with Kevin James on this project, and believe the film will resonate with audiences on a world-wide scale,” said Global Film Group partner Raja Collins.
James recently starred in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, which has surpassed $76 million worldwide in its third week. Prior to that he co-starred in Grown Ups 2, which brought in well over $200 million worldwide for Sony.
James is represented by WME, Jeff Sussman and Schreck, Rose, Dapello and Adams, LLP. Wadlow is represented by WME, Allen Fischer and Hirsch Wallserstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman, LLP. PalmStar and Merced are represented by Cohen Gardner LLP and Loeb & Loeb LLP respectively.
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(Photo credit: Getty Images)
