Production is officially rolling in London on Viva La Madness, the new action-thriller that reunites Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham — and the supporting cast is seriously loaded. Joining Statham in the ensemble are Vinnie Jones, Jason Isaacs, Babs Olusanmokun, Camila Mendes, Ben Foster, Jonny Lee Miller, and Raúl Alejandro, as per Deadline. If that list feels very “Guy Ritchie-core,” you’re not wrong. Several of these actors have worked with the director before, including Jones, Olusanmokun, and Miller.

Plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, but the film is based on an upcoming novel by JJ Connolly, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ritchie. Connolly’s book is a sequel to his debut novel Layer Cake, which was famously adapted into the 2004 film directed by Matthew Vaughn. That said, Viva La Madness is being described as a stand-alone, original story — not a direct continuation of Layer Cake.

This project marks Jones’ fifth collaboration with Ritchie, following Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Mean Machine, and the Netflix series The Gentlemen. Olusanmokun previously worked with Ritchie on The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, while Miller appeared in Ritchie’s war thriller The Covenant.

How Does Vinnie Jones Know Guy Ritchie?

According to Ritchie, there’s one person they both credit for helping them get their start: Vinnie Jones.

“They are like brothers to me,” Ritchie said while reflecting on the early days of Lock, Stock. “Vinnie was forever paying for taxis when Statham and I had no money.”

Jones has his own version of that story. During a Netflix Q&A for The Gentlemen, he recalled meeting Ritchie and Vaughn at a fancy golf club to discuss Lock, Stock — and ending up covering the bill.

“I’ve known Guy for 30 years, dating back to when we did Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels together. I first met him and Matthew Vaughn to talk about the film at a posh golf club, and I ended up paying for the coffee because they didn’t have enough money. Afterwards, he used to stay with me in America and so did Matthew and Jason Statham. We were like a band of brothers, and we still are now. So going to work on The Gentlemen is like being on set with one of your best mates.”

Viva La Madness is currently in production in London.

via Collider