Kevin James, Alan Ritchson will star in the previously announced action comedy Playdate for Nickel City Pictures and A Higher Standard, which is set to commence shooting on March 11 in Vancouver.
The story centres on down-on-his luck Brian (James), who becomes an unexpected stay-at-home dad to his 10-year-old son after he gets fired from his job.
On his first day he accepts a playdate invitation from another stay-at-home dad, Jeff (Ritchson), who turns out to be a loose cannon, resulting in the two men and their sons going on the run after they get involved in a deadly conspiracy.
Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door, Let’s Be Cops) will direct from a script written by Neil Goldman (Shrinking). Greenfield’s WideAwake Pictures’ and Jason Benoit will produce with Mark Fasano of Nickel City Pictures, Jeffrey Greenstein of A Higher Standard and Sean Patrick O’Reilly.
Goldman, James, Ritchson, Dan Spilo of Industry Entertainment, Jeff Sussman, Matthew Alex Goldberg of Nickel City, Michelle Myers of Arcana Studios and Josh Harris, Ford Corbett & Nathan Klingher of Gramercy Park Media serve as executive producers.
Fasano said, “Alan and Kevin are such a great duo and their chemistry in such a short time is something you can only hope for. Luke has proved time and time again to deliver high-concept comedies that are grounded yet relatable.”
Greenstein, who launched A Higher Standard at the EFM in Berlin last week, said, “Midnight Run has always been one of my favourite films and this is a great opportunity to reach for that magic. Neil has written an action-comedy that’s all about grounded, relatable characters and their relationships, and that’s the type of film we’re all dying to see again. And this duo of Alan and Kevin is going to capture that magic.”
Ritchson stars opposite Hilary Swank in Lionsgate’s drama Ordinary Angels which opens wide this weekend. He is currently in production on the third season of Reacher and will reprise his role as Aimes’ in Universal’s untitled 11th instalment of the Fast And Furious.
James is best known for his roles in CBS’ The King Of Queens with Leah Remini and Jerry Stiller, as well as Columbia Pictures’ Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and Here Comes The Boom.
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