Funny how a bit of success in Hollywood makes unimaginative studio execs sit up and take notice. Years ago, Taylor Sheridan wrote an action thriller concept script called F.A.S.T.
It was about a former special forces commando, struggling with normality on his return from various warzones. On coming home, he is tapped up by the DEA to lead a fully deniable effort against some CIA-protected drug dealers in his hometown. (They should have left him alone).
So far, so straightforward. Warner Bros. had it in development with Chris Pratt set to star and Gavin O’Connor as director. However, Warner’s owners at the time, AT&T, struggled to decide how to handle the movie. At $60-70 million it was judged as too expensive for their streaming channels, but not enough of a guaranteed hit to make them invest in a theatrical release.
Sheridan followed up the scripts to Sicario and Hell or High Water with the whole Yellowstone thing, then Outpost absolute favorite Landman, and suddenly Warner Bros. are feeling a stirring in their pants towards all things Sheridan.
Somebody, somewhere, put down a hooker and looked up from a mountain of cocain for long enough to shout:
“What else have we got from that Yellowstone guy?”
The answer was F.A.S.T.
So now Warner Bros. Discovery is back on the pitch with it, and it will be a priority project aiming at an April 23rd 2027 release. Warner is so keen that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, David Zaslav even went into bat, coming to a deal with Paramount to allow Sheridan to break his exclusive deal with them for F.A.S.T.
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement:
“The breadth of Taylor Sheridan’s body of work is simply astounding and unparalleled in sheer excellence and consistent quality and we could not be more honored to be making this film with him.”
Now, 1923 actor Brendon Sklenar and director/cinematographer Ben Richardson are both attached, while Jenny Wood, David Heyman, and Jeffrey Clifford will produce via Heyday Films and Bosque Ranch.
