When pilot Brodie Torrance avoids crashing a passenger plane by landing on an island in the Philippines, his trouble had only just begun. Many action films and series have found their protagonists trapped on an island – whether that be a deserted one, a cursed one, or whatever is going on in Lost. Plane follows a familiar premise, but far from the typical journey when Jolo Island turns out to potentially be more dangerous than a plane crash would have been.
From the writing talents of Charles Cumming, the author of The Spanish Game, comes the upcoming action film Plane. There were many twists and turns on the path to this film being made, as it was one of many to be shut down by COVID-19 concerns when it was first acquired by Lionsgate Films in 2019. But now, after years of planning and production, we will finally get to see Plane release on the big screen across the world.
Plane: The Plot
Plane follows the story of pilot Brodie Torrance after a near-crash landing on the dangerous and war-torn Jolo Island in the Philippines. The passengers are quickly taken hostage, interrupting rescue efforts. Among those passengers is a convicted fugitive who was being transported by the FBI, and who Brodie must enlist the help of to escape the militia who has captured them.
“In the white-knuckle action movie PLANE, pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island - only to find that surviving the landing was just the beginning. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI. In order to rescue the passengers, Torrance will need Gaspare’s help, and will learn there’s more to Gaspare than meets the eye.”
With a premise like that, Plane sounds like a thrilling film made for fans of Charles Cumming’s body of work. The trailer and stills released show how grimy and dark the film will be – truly immersive into the world of the story. The film was shot in Puerto Rico, giving it the island feel necessary for its Philippines setting. We’re sure it will be a fast-paced action movie full of twists, and we’re excited to watch it when it comes to theaters!
Plane: The Cast
Not only is Plane set up with an incredible story, but it also has a star-studded cast as well. Back in 2019 when Plane was first acquired by Lionsgate, actor Gerard Butler was cast in the lead role of Brodie Torrance quite easily. Other cast members didn’t join the team until much later, however. The original story of Plane was pitched in 2016, acquired by Lionsgate in 2019, and put on the backburner until it was acquired by Solstice Studios in 2020. It stayed dormant for some time thereafter, until Lionsgate once again acquired the rights to Plane in 2021 and immediately began production. As per Deadline, “Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions Jason Constantine told us: 'We have always been big believers in this movie as well as huge fans of Gerry and everyone involved, so we could not be more thrilled to be back as the distributor. We’re so, so glad that everything worked out in the end, and the movie is back with Lionsgate.”"
Now, the cast is filled with incredible actors. Mike Colter, perhaps best known for his role as Luke Cage, co-stars as Louis Gaspare. Yoson An (Mulan), Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Dominion), Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire, The Irishman), and many more incredible actors make up the supporting cast. In addition to great actors, Plane has an amazing crew. Jean Francois-Richet is the director, best known for his work on the Mesrine series of films. Charles Cumming wrote the original story and screenplay, with J.P. Davis (The Contractor) also screenwriting on Plane. Lead actor Gerald Butler is one of the producers, joining a team with talents like Marc Butan (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Jason Constantine (Daybreakers, Saw), Eda Cowan (The Expendables), and more. The music comes from composers Marco Beltrami (World War Z) and Marcus Trumpp (I, Robot), who both also worked with director Francois-Richet on Mesrine. Oscar nominated editor David Rosenbloom (The Insider) is on the team as well.
With so many talented cast and crew members, we’re eager to see Plane when it lands in theaters.
Plane: Release Date
Plane is set to release on January 13th, 2023. This release date recently changed, moving up from January 27th, 2023 after the trailer received a very positive response! It seems like we won’t have to wait very long to see if Plane lives up to its action-packed trailer and exciting premise.