Oscar-nominated British actor Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion) is set to make his directorial debut on the action revenge thriller Monkey Man, THR has revealed.

Co-written by Patel, Paul Angunawela (Keith Lemon: The Film) and John Collee (Hotel Mumbai), the Munai-set film is said to be “steeped in mythology” and will see Patel portraying the Kid, a man “who emerges from prison to take on a world awash in corporate greed and eroding spiritual values”.

“Monkey Man is a vibrant, thrilling and above all entertaining story, and we are excited to be teaming up with Dev, who has great creative instincts making him a natural director,” said producer Basil Iwanyk (John Wick).

“Monkey Man is filled with vivid characters and thrilling action scenes, and Dev’s precise vision of a stylized and highly energetic genre film will appeal to audiences around the world,” added Alex Walton, EVP of international film sales and distribution at Endeavor Content.

Filming on Monkey Man will take place on location in Dubai in spring 2019.

via Flickering Myth