Hollywood Popular Artists

Aug 1st 2012, 17:30

Categorize this news in "dream casting we didn't know we wanted until now": James Franco will be starring opposite Jason Statham in the upcoming Sylvester Stallone-penned action-thriller "Homefront."

Variety broke the news, adding that "Don't Say A Word" and "Kiss the Girls" director Gary Fleder will helm the project. While "Homefront" is a movie that totally makes sense for Stallone and Statham, it's Franco's inclusion that has us really intrigued.

The script follows an ex-DEA agent, played by Statham, who moves his family to a new town "hoping to escape his past." But the supposedly quiet town they move to is actually overrun with violence and drugs, headed off by an "evil meth magnate" who will be played by Franco. Expect explosions and epic fight scenes to ensue after that.

We've seen Franco push himself with the roles he has chosen in recent years, and this movie in particular seems like a big step away from his usual fare. Somehow we don't see Franco's character Gator being a Walter White-type, but we can totally see the actor going the extra mile and creating a truly terrifying drug-dealing villain.

We aren't the only ones who are exciting about this partnership. Executive producer Avi Lerner released a statement about the casting to Variety.

"I cannot think of a better group to put this film on the big screen," he said. "Sly's script is fantastic, James and Jason are remarkable actors and Gary really knows how direct this type of film. We start production at the end of September in New Orleans."

An early promo poster for "Homefront" was first released back at the Cannes Film Festival.

Do you think that Franco will do well opposite Statham? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

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