Jack Quaid, star of The Boys, is set to star in Novocaine, a new thriller that represents the first major production from FilmNation Entertainment’s Infrared production banner. The film, written by Lars Jacobson (Day of the Dead: Bloodline), is set to be directed by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen (Villains), and will start production in the first quarter of next year, with a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement in place in case the strike is still going by then. In the film, Quaid will play Nathan Caine, who was born with the rare disorder CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain), and is unable to feel physical pain. According to Deadline, who first reported the casting, Caine “grew up a sheltered child, learning to blend his food so he would not unwittingly chew off his own tongue, and he learned to wear a timer to remind himself when to go to the bathroom. But when his bank is robbed and his new love taken hostage, his affliction becomes his greatest strength as he sets out to rescue her.”
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The hope is to make a franchise out of it, with the character drawing parallels between himself and the heroes of Unbreakable and John Wick.
“Novocaine is a non-stop, edge-of-the-seat action thriller loaded with all the heart, humor and kickass-ery you could ever want,” the producers said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to get shooting next year with Dan and Bobby, who are true talents that we believe are the next big directors in the action space.”
Berk and Olsen co-write and co-directed the indie hits Body and Villains, before heading to Paramount to work on Significant Other together.
“It’s hard to find unique access points in this genre, but this film and the unlikely hero at its heart captured our imagination right away,” the filmmakers said. “Shepherding this project along with Infrared and Safehouse has been incredible, and working with the absolute perfect lead in Jack Quaid is honestly a dream come true.”
The film is set to be produced by Infrared’s Drew Simon, Safehouse Pictures’ Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell and Matt Schwartz, and Circle of Confusion’s Josh Adler and Julian Rosenberg.
