According to The Hollywood Reporter, Clive Owen is loading his guns for Shoot 'Em Up, a hard-core action project from screenwriter-director Michael Davis. Don Murphy, Susan Montford and Rick Benattar are producing.

The story begins with a woman having a baby during a shootout. The man who delivers the baby, called simply Mr. Smith, is entrusted with protecting it from an army of gunmen. A January start date is being eyed.

New Line Cinema is targeting a holiday 2006 release, giving it a second actioner and potential franchise on next year's slate along with shark horror pic Meg.