John Hillcoat Hooks’em and Books’em; Harrelson Completes Ensemble “Triple Nine”

Adding to his recent pile-up of “men in uniform with guns” type roles, Woody Harrelson will follow up fashionable stints in green (Oren Moverman’s The Messenger), navy blue (Moverman’s Rampart) and shirt-tie confection in True Detective with yet another detective role in John Hillcoat’s highly anticipated ensemble pic. Deadline reports that Harrelson will play Sergeant Detective Jeffrey Allen (the uncle to the cop played by Casey Affleck) in Triple Nine — clearly Open Road Films most appetizing title being prepped for the 2015 campaign. A summer production start date is in the works.

Gist: Written by Matt Cook, this is about a crew of dirty cops who are blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for “officer down”. Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale filled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

Worth Noting: Harrelson and Affleck recently starred in Scott Cooper’s Out of the Furnace.

Do We Care?: Harrelson is further added value to the cast of Affleck, Michael Peña, Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Teresa Palmer, Gal Gadot and Michael B. Jordan. This is way up there on our most anticipated list and wouldn’t be surprised if Open Road decides to release it earlier than later.