Jamie Foxx is one of those rare talents who is able to shape-shift from comedy to action and intense drama. Among his more recent projects, Foxx will be leaning into more of his action chops in the upcoming Die Hard-esque film Deadlocked, in which Foxx was announced to star last month.
Landed with Amazon MGM Studios, Deadlocked follows Foxx as a grieving former Marine on jury duty, whose military instincts are suddenly forced back into action when the high-profile trial escalates into a dangerous hostage situation. Joining Foxx are Sasha Calle (On Swift Horses), KiKi Layne (The Old Guard), and Luke Hemsworth (Westworld) in undisclosed roles. Now, a familiar face from the John Wick franchise has joined the fray.
Adding even more action skills to the film’s lineup is one of entertainment’s most merciless action villains: Marko Zaror (John Wick: Chapter 4), who is now reported to be entering the Deadlocked call sheet, according to Deadline.
Playing a ruthless and highly efficient right-hand man to John Wick: Chapter 4’s main antagonist, Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), Zaror’s character Chidi is known for his street-dog mentality, doing whatever it takes to get the job done. Even if it’s messy. Unlike a lot of the other characters known in the John Wick universe, who act with a very specific honor system, Chidi stands out as a rebellious contrast to that world’s morality. Even if his actual name is rarely, if at all, mentioned on screen, his presence is pretty difficult to ignore visually.
Within the film’s hostage situation, the plot also states that the premise hinges on a daughter’s attempt to seize the courthouse where the trial is taking place and free her father. If we were playing casting detective based on the synopsis, Zaror’s villain background could be an interesting fit for the role of the father — though this remains speculative until further confirmation. Deadlocked is reported to be in the pre-production stage, so it’s anyone’s guess as to what role the John Wick villain could be stepping into for now.
Alongside Zaror, Deadline also reported that young actor Tyrik Johnson (Dedicated to Morris Burke) is another new addition to the film — who was also recently nominated for the YoungStars Award at the BET Awards. Johnson’s role has yet to be disclosed as well. Deadlocked is an original film that will be directed by Nikhil Bhat, with Eric Scot Anderson and Matt Takejiro Bosack writing the screenplay. An official release date has not been revealed.