Denzel Washington And Christopher McQuarrie Team On New Thriller At United Artists And Amazon MGM Studios

EXCLUSIVE: United Artists isn’t done adding to its already loaded film slate as sources tell Deadline Amazon MGM Studios and Scott Stuber’s United Artists have greenlit an untitled thriller with Denzel Washington set to star Christopher McQuarrie on board to direct. Scott Barkan and Gregg Zehentner penned the script. The film will bow in theaters on October 1, 2027.

The film follows a former police detective serving a life sentence who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Granted compassionate release with six months to live, he returns home to the estranged daughter he left behind and a grandson he never knew existed. He only wants to make amends and forget his dark past. But his dark past has not forgotten him

McQuarrie will produce alongside Heather McQuarrie along with Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt, who produce through United Artists, Joseph Restaino for Hungry Bull Productions; Reza Moheet and Norman Aladjem for Mainstay Entertainment and Katia Washington and Tommy Harper. Hungry Bull Productions’. Tony Stopperan, Mainstay Entertainment’s Tim Honigman, and Joe Guest will serve as executive producers

As for Washington, the two time Oscar winner had been planning to reunite with Antoine Fuqua for the Netflix epic about ancient Carthaginian general Hannibal this fall. Those plans were put on pause when pre-production was halted following budgetary issues. This allowed Washington to refocus on other projects with this film quickly moving to the top of the list following meetings with McQuarrie that ultimately led to Washington giving the thumbs up to making this his next film. Producers will now look to fill the role of Washington’s daughter in the film.

Most recently, Washington has made his long-awaited return to the stage in Othello, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and starred in Highest 2 Lowest from director Spike Lee. Up next, he will star in Netflix’s, The Take (f.k.a Here Comes the Flood), alongside Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The film is slated to release in 2027.

After a decade redefining the modern action spectacle with Mission: Impossible, Oscar-winner McQuarrie returns to the crime genre he helped define with films like Jack Reacher, The Way of the Gun, and The Usual Suspects.He most recently helped helm the last four Mission: Impossible films including the most recent installment Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning.

With UA, Stuber is currently in production on Lizard Music, the next collaboration between Dwayne Johnson and Benny Safdie; in post-production on a new version of Highlander starring Henry Cavill; and prepping Michael Mann’s Heat 2, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale, and The Mandela Catalogue, the analog horror adaptation with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment to be directed by series creator Alex Kister.

In partnership with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artist Equity Independent Pictures, Hungry Bull recently wrapped production on Downriver, starring Jessica Biel, Garrett Hedlund, and Jake Lacy.

On the big screen, next up for Mainstay is the genre-bending vampire western The Sun Always Sets in the West at Lionsgate, set for a 2027 start date. On the small screen Mainstay recently produced The Matchmaker with Patti Stanger at the CW

Washington is represented by WME. McQuarrie is represented by CAA and Greenberg Glusker. Barkan and Zehentner are represented by Mainstay Entertainment and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.