Woody Harrelson has signed on to play the co-lead in Sony’s action comedy “The Man From Toronto” opposite Kevin Hart, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Harrelson is replacing Jason Statham, who last week left the film over creative differences just weeks before production was expected to begin. Harrelson’s deal is closed, and production is now expected to begin on schedule in five weeks.
Patrick Hughes (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard”) is directing the film about a world class assassin who accidentally bumps into a bumbling screw-up from New York City at a Toronto Airbnb, leading to a series of mistaken identities, clashing personalities and deadly stakes.
Robbie Fox wrote the screenplay based on his own story with Jason Blumenthal. Todd Black, Blumenthal and Steve Tisch are producing. Bill Bannerman is executive producing.
Harrelson has been a favorite of the studio of late, having starred in Sony’s “Zombieland: Double Tap” last year and the Spider-Man villain spinoff “Venom” from 2018 alongside Tom Hardy. He’ll next be seen in the sequel to “Venom” due out this fall. He was also recently seen in “The Highwaymen” and “Midway.”
Harrelson is represented by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham.
THR first reported the news of the casting.