When Harry Met Sally…with guns. That’s the gist of the pitch for a newMarlon WayansmovieRide or Die, an action-packed romantic comedy thatNeal H. Moritz(Fast and Furious) will produce under his Original Film banner.
Wayans teamed withRick Alvarezto write the script, which follows a straight-laced robbery detective (Wayans) who partners with a hard-hitting female narcotics detective to track down a stolen billion-dollar shipment of deadly opioids that threaten to flood the streets of Chicago. Bullets are sure to fly along with plenty of sparks, as the romance element is what sets this buddy action-comedy apart from previous entries in the well-worn genre.
Moritz picked up the script using his company’s discretionary fund, and he’ll produce with Original’sToby Ascher, while Wayans and Alvarez will produce via their company, Ugly Baby.
“I was lucky enough to get a chance to read this script early… and I had to jump on it. Rarely do you read scripts with such a great concept and relationship,” Moritz said in a statement tothe Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news.
“Rick and I conceived this as a franchise and collaborating with Neal, who has mastered the art of franchises, makes it a perfect fit,” added Wayans, who compared the project toBad Boyswith romance instead of a bromance.
Ride or Diesounds like a fun project for Wayans, so I look forward to seeing who Moritz brings in to direct, and who that director ends up casting opposite Wayans. The actor is coming off the Netflix comedySextuplets, in which he played multiple characters. He’ll soon be seen alongsideRashida JonesandBill MurrayinSofia Coppola’s Apple/A24 movieOn the Rocks, and he also appears in MGM’sAretha FranklinbiopicRespect, which starsJennifer Hudsonas the Queen of Soul.
Moritz recently produced the box office hitSonic the Hedgehogas well asMark Wahlberg’s popular Netflix movieSpenser ConfidentialandVin Diesel’s comic book movieBloodshot. Up next for Moritz is theFast and FurioussequelF9and the claustrophobic thrillerEscape Room 2. TheSonicmovie countsAdam Sandleras a fan, soclick hereto find out why he calledJim Carreyin the middle of the movie.
