Wu Tang Clan’s RZA Will Direct Prison Thriller Film ‘Breakout’
Breakout is about a photographer who’s imprisoned in Bangladesh on false drug trafficking charges. His wealthy father plots to break him out of the Bangladesh prison through the help of old connections.
RZA will direct the thriller based on a script written by Richard D’ Ovidio of The Call and Exit Wounds. The film is produced by Amasia Entertainment.
Bradley Gallo and Michael Helfant of Amasia Entertainment said, “The multi-talented RZA has mastered the art of music, acting and filmmaking. We are ecstatic to have him behind the camera on our next project as he brings a fresh and innovative take to this international action thriller from Rich D’Ovidio.”
Amasia Entertainment also produced Mr. Right, a romantic comedy co-starring RZA. In the film, RZA takes on the role of a marksman and will appear with co-stars Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick, and Tim Roth. It will be the closing night film at the Toronto Film Festival on September 19.
The film company also collaborated with Richard D’Ovidio in The Call, a crime thriller starring Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin.
Before he was invited to direct the thriller Breakout, RZA had already directed two films. In 2012, he debuted as a director for the martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists. RZA has also finished directing a hip-hop drama featuring Common, Jill Scott, and Azealia Banks. Coco is slated for a March 2016 release.
Aside from producing music and directing films RZA (aka Robert Fitzgerald Diggs) is also an accomplished artist, musician, and composer. The popular hip-hop artist and Wu-Tang Clan leader has also played major and supporting roles in movies like Mr. Right, Coffee and Cigarettes, Derailed, American Gangster, and Due Date.
RZA was offered a role in the 2006 film The Departed but was unable to accept the role due to scheduling problems.
In The Man with the Iron Fists, his first directing gig, RZA collaborated with filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth. Roth, in an interview, praised RZA’s work on the martial arts film.
“This movie will have everything martial arts fans could want, combined with RZA’s superb musical talent. This project has been his dream for years and I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” said Eli Roth.
RZA appeared in nine episodes of Showtime’s Californication and played the recurring character Samurai Apocalypse. He was also the antagonist, Mr. L.C., in the martial arts film Tom Yum Goong 2 (aka The Protector 2).
[Image via YouTube]
