John Cena has been announced for another Amazon film.
Cena is set to star in “Grand Death Lotto,” a new action-comedy movie for Amazon Studios, according to Deadline. Simu Liu and Awkwafina will also star in the film.
The movie, directed by Paul Feig, is set in a very fear future, where a Grand Lottery has been established in economically challenged California. There’s one catch – you’ll need to kill the winner before sundown in order to legally claim their prize. Katie, played by Awkwafina, is a new Los Angeles transplant who accidentally finds herself with the winning ticket, and now she must join forces with amateur jackpot protector Noel, played by Cena, to make it to sundown in order to claim her multi-billion dollar prize, all while dealing with Noel’s protection rival Louis Lewis, played by Liu, who also wants to get her to sundown in order to claim his rich protection commission.
Cena will also serve as an Executive Producer on the Amazon Original Movie, along with Zack Roth and Rob Yescombe, who is also the writer. The film is being produced by Roth/Kirschenbaum Films’ Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum, along with Feigco Entertainment’s Laura Fischer and Feig.
Production on the movie kicks off next week. There’s no word yet on the planned release date, but the film will stream on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
“Grand Death Lotto is the kind of original idea audiences have been craving, and there’s no one better than the endlessly talented Paul Feig to steer the ship,” said Amazon and MGM Studios chief, Jennifer Salke. “We can’t wait to watch John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu bring this fun, action-packed script to life for our Prime Video customers around the world.”
“I love action comedy and extreme physical comedy and this movie has both in abundance, as well as a boatload of heart and hilarity,” added Feig. “This lotto will make winners of us all.”
Cena was recently announced another Amazon film for Prime Video, the R-rated comedy “Ricky Stanicky,” which was to film in Melbourne, Australia last month and this month. Cena was also set to star in action comedy “Heads of State” with Idris Elba, another Amazon Studios project that is described as “Air Force One meets Midnight Run,” with a focus on a mismatched pair, Cena and Elba, who are in over their heads in a high-stakes situation. Details on this movie have been limited since the initial announcement in October 2020 and the follow-up in October 2022.
Cena will next be seen in “Fast X,” where he will reprise his role as Jakob Toretto. The latest film in the Fast & Furious franchisee hits theaters on Friday, May 19. Other upcoming projects for Cena include spy thriller “Argylle” for Apple TV, to be released some time this year, plus “Honeymoon Friends,” the Hulu comedy that serves as the sequel to “Vacation Friends” from 2021. The release date for this film has not been announced, but it is also expected some time this year.
In negotiations for the “Grand Death Lotto” film, Cena was represented by WME, Intenta Media, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Cena will return to WWE RAW on Monday’s show in his hometown of Boston, MA. It’s believed that his WrestleMania 39 match with WWE United States Champion Austin Theory will be confirmed then.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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