Actor Glen Powell has teamed up with Fast & Furious writer-producer Chris Morgan for Deputy X, a sci-fi action-thriller set up at Universal Pictures.
Powell will star and helped come up with the idea and concept for the project, which is intended to be a high-concept franchise starter for the actor.
Morgan, who has a long-standing relationship with the studio thanks to his work as writer and producer on seven of its Fast movies, will produce along with Ainsley Davies, the head of development at his Chris Morgan Productions.
Jack Paglen, whose previous credits include Transcendence starring Johnny Depp and Alien: Covenant, will write the script. Details for X are being kept secret, but it has been described as being tonally in the vein of such films as Arnold Schwarzenegger flick The Running Man and 1970s cult classic Logan’s Run.
Powell and Paglen will also produce the feature project. Overseeing the project are Universal senior vp production development Jay Polidoro and director of development Tony Ducret.
Known for his roles in romantic comedy Set It Up and drama Hidden Figures, Powell will next be seen in Paramount’s highly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick and Sony’s Korean War epic Devotion.
Morgan’s producing credits include Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, The Fate of the Furious, Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6 and Fast Five. In all, Morgan has authored seven installments in Universal’s multibillion-dollar Fast franchise, his association beginning with the third film, Tokyo Drift. Morgan also produced the hit thriller Bird Box for Netflix and is currently producing a Spanish-language spinoff set in Barcelona.
Powell is repped by CAA, The Initiative Group and Johnson Shapiro. Paglen is repped by ICM Partners and Lichter Grossman.