Vertical picks up Renny Harlin’s The Bricklayer starring Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev

Photo Courtesy: Vertical

Vertical has acquired US rights to Renny Harlin’s (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2) pulsing action-thriller The Bricklayer starring Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Olympus Has Fallen), and Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries, Let’s Be Cops) from a screenplay by Hanna Weg and Matt Johnson (Into the Blue) based upon the novel “The Bricklayer” by Paul Lindsay writing as Noah Boyd. Clifton Collins Jr. (Westworld), Tim Blake Nelson (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), and Ilfenesh Hadera (Billions) round out the cast.

The film is slated for an early 2024 day & date release.

The Bricklayer follows a rogue insurgent blackmailing the CIA by assassinating foreign journalists and making it appear the agency is responsible. As other nations begin turning against the U.S., the CIA must lure Steve Vail (Eckhart) – their most brilliant and rebellious operative – out of retirement. With an elite and deadly skill set, Vail is tasked with helping clear the agency’s name, forcing him to confront his checkered past while unraveling an international conspiracy.

Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Millennium as our first collaboration. Renny Harlin, possessing an acute mastery of the action-thriller genre, delivers in the The Bricklayer, and elicits extraordinary performances from a cast led by Aaron Eckhart. The film, a riveting adventure through the realms of espionage and intrigue, promises to captivate audiences from start to finish.”

“Working with Renny is always a delight, and teaming up with Vertical was a no-brainer. We’re excited to collaborate with Vertical’s incredibly talented team who are the perfect partners for this film,” said Millennium Media’s Tanner Mobley, Vice President of Development and Production.

Jeffrey Greenstein, Yariv Lerner, Jonathan Yunger, Heidi Jo Markel and Robert Van Norden produced, with Avi Lerner, Boaz Davidson, Erik Lindsay, Tanner Mobley, and Les Weldon serving as executive producers. The cinematographer is Matti Eerikäinen and the composer is Walter Mair.

Vertical’s Jarowey and SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal on behalf of Vertical; Millennium Media’s Jeffrey Greenstein and J.J. Nugent negotiated the deal on behalf of the production.