NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: Mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano attends the 30th Annual Salute To Women In Sports Awards at The Waldorf=Astoria on October 13, 2009 in New York City.
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for the Women’s Sports FoundationGina Carano is continuing to roundhouse-kick her way into the movie business.
After making her breakthrough with the action vehicle Haywire, the MMA fighter-turned-actress is coming on board to star in In the Blood, an action thriller being directed by John Stockwell (Into the Blue, Blue Crush).
Movie Package Co.’s Shaun Redick and Ray Mansfield (The Messenger) are producing the movie, which Cargo Entertainment is selling at EFM.
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Described as being in the vein of Taken, Blood is set in motion when a husband disappears while vacationing in the Caribbean with his wife, to be played by Carano. The grieving wife passionately and recklessly pursues the men whom she believes kidnapped and killed him. Bennett Yellin and James Robert Johnston wrote the script.
“This role will showcase not only Gina’s fighting skills, but also her acting abilities as her character struggles to reign in her violent past,” Stockwell tells The Hollywood Reporter.
8711, the stunt team that worked on Haywire, is in discussions to reteam with Carano for Blood.
Verso Entertainment (Crips and Bloods: Made in America) will produce alongside Movie Package Co. London-based Derby Street Films was involved with the development of the project.
Principal photography is scheduled to begin in late spring or early summer in Puerto Rico with production partners Pimienta Film Company (The Men Who Stare At Goats).
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Carano rose to fame as an international star in the field of mixed martial arts, becoming the sport’s female face. Steven Soderbergh was so impressed with her blend of looks and athletic prowess that he plucked her from the sport and built Haywire around her. She held her own with actors such as Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Michael Douglas in the film, which was released in January by Relativity, and an acting career was born.
Carano is repped by Gersh, Scott Karp of The Syndicate and Ziffren Brittenham. Gersh is helping package the movie and is repping the North American rights.
Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com
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