EXCLUSIVE: Bruce Willis will star in John Pogue’s action thriller Wake for Benaroya Pictures, which International Film Trust will introduce to buyers at the EFM in Berlin next month.

Michael Benaroya is producing alongside Tobin Armbrust, David Alpert and Chris Cowles. CAA represents US rights.

Wake is scheduled to commence production in Cleveland on February 16 and tells of a sociopathic exile who must defend his family after he returns to his childhood home on a remote island to pay respects to his late brother.

Chris Borrelli wrote the screenplay with revisions by Pogue.

“With a history of writing suspenseful and tension driven films, John Pogue is an imposing director to watch and we are really excited to be working on Wake with him and Bruce – who, himself, is a force to be reckoned with,” said Benaroya.

Wake is the perfect project for Bruce Willis to lead as the action star we know and love,” said International Film Trust president Christian de Gallegos.

“His character will excite worldwide audiences and give us another taste of the big screen legend who remains amongst the top box office performers of all time.”

Willis will next be seen in Barry Levinson’s Rock The Kasbah opposite Bill Murray and Zooey Deschanel.

Pogue most recently wrote and directed The Quiet Ones starring Jared Harris, Sam Claflin and Olivia Cooke.