Samuel L. Jackson's The Protege Gets a Release Date

Lionsgate has set a date for The Protégé, a new action thriller starring Marvel staple Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Green Lantern filmmaker Martin Campbell. The film, about dueling assassins, will also star Maggie Q and Michael Keaton. The film is set for a release on August 20. The movie will open against Bios, a Tom Hanks film, and the Paramount/Nickelodeon joint Paw Patrol: The Movie. Featuring a script by The Equalizer 2 screenwriter Richard Wenk, the film originally known as The Asset follows two of the world's premier assassins, Keaton's Rembrandt and Maggie Q's Anna, who "share a mysterious past from Vietnam."

In the film, the pair have competed for high-profile contracts around the world but must form an uneasy alliance after her mentor Moody (Jackson) is murdered. The two will return to Vietnam to hunt for the killer. Production on the film will begin at the start of 2020 with cameras rolling in London, Bucharest, and Vietnam.

"The Asset is the whole package, and we are excited to bring Richard Wenk's masterful, muscular script to life with the all-star talent of Michael, Samuel, and Maggie," Millennium's Jeffrey Greenstein said. "Having a great director like Martin Campbell at the helm will make all the difference in turning this into a big, stylish, and action-packed thrill ride."

Keaton can next be seen in the biographical drama What Is Life Worth and Aaron Sorkin's upcoming The Trial of the Chicago 7. Jackson recently made his eleventh feature film appearance as Nick Fury in Spider-Man: Far From Home, he'll next be seen in Apple's The Banker (alongside another MCU vet in Anthony Mackie) as well as the upcoming ninth Saw movie. Maggie Q recently reprised her role as Wonder Woman in the revival of Young Justice on DC Universe, she'll next appear in the Fantasy Island reboot from Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.

You can see the official synopsis for The Protégé below.

In The Protégé, assassin Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) rescues and trains Anna (Maggie Q) in the family business, grooming her to be the world's most skilled contract killer. But when Moody – the man who was like a father to her and taught her everything she needs to know about trust and survival – is brutally killed, Anna vows revenge. As she becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer (Michael Keaton) whose attraction to her goes way beyond cat and mouse, their confrontation turns deadly and the loose ends of a life spent killing will weave themselves ever tighter. Martin Campbell directs off Richard Wenks script with producers being Arthur Sarkissian, Moshe Diamant, Rob Van Norden, Yariv Lerner, and Chris Milburn.