If it seems like Luc Besson's name is attached to like half a dozen movies a year, it's because that's basically true. Mostly in a writing or co-producing capacity, as the French filmmaker went into a state of semi-retirement which has only seen him direct a handful of movies in the last five years. That said, he hasn't really slowed down at all, having his hands in nine feature films in just the last couple of years. As part of a major co-financing deal between Besson's EuraCorp and Relativity Media, Besson now has two more projects lined up that should keep him plenty busy.
Robert De Niro is set to star in Malavita, a gangster thriller which Besson will write and direct. De Niro will play a retired American gangster now living with his family in Normandy under the witness protection program. After blending into the community as just another normal family, his past of course comes back to haunt him. The story is based on Tonino Benacquista's novel, Badfellas, and is described as a light-hearted, black comedy. Filming will get underway on August 14th.
The other film we don't know much about yet except it's going under the working title of Three Days to Kill, and will feature a script by Besson and Adi Hasek. It's being described as a funnier version of Taken, which to me sounds a lot like Lockout. Maybe in this one Maggie Grace gets kidnapped by a traveling circus? [Variety]
