Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: When Deadline revealed in Toronto that Emmett/Furla Films had set Nicolas Cage for the action thriller I Am Wrath, we told you that William Friedkin was circling to direct the project. I’m hearing that Friedkin is pretty much committed to do the film. Friedkin, who has helmed some of the great action crime thrillers – To Live And Die In LA and The French Connection – will make this his follow-up to Killer Joe.

Following the murder of his wife, Stanley (Cage) finds that the police are unable to catch the perpetrators. He uncovers a thick plot of police corruption and realizes that he will have to find justice on his own. As he awakens to the level of degradation of the people sworn to serve and protect, we get a little Rage in the Cage as he becomes a vigilante out to destroy those who abuse their power. Paul Sloan wrote the script based on a story by Yvan Gauthier. Lionsgate will release domestically on a film that begins production in February. Emmett and Furla are producing with Cheetah Vision Films’ Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Grindstone’s Barry Brooker & Stan Wertlieb, Vallelonga Productions’ Nick Vallelonga, Richard Salvatore & David Omston.

Cage just worked for Emmett/Furla co-founders Randall Emmett and George Furla on The Frozen Ground, starring in the Alaska-set drama with John Cusack and Vanessa Hudgens. Emmett/Furla starts production tomorrow in New Mexico on Lone Survivor, the Peter Berg-directed ensemble war drama, and the company is shooting the Denzel Washington/Mark Wahlberg-starrer 2 Guns. Both of those films will be released by Universal Pictures.

Friedkin is repped by ICM Partners.