Russell Crowe and Harry Lawtey starring in Billion Dollar Spy
Russell Crowe and Harry Lawtey are set to play leading roles in the Cold War thriller 'Billion Dollar Spy'.
Russell Crowe and Harry Lawtey are to lead the cast of 'Billion Dollar Spy'.
The pair are set to feature in the Cold War thriller that has been penned by Oscar-winning scribe Stephen Gaghan and directed by BAFTA-winner Amma Asante.
The screenplay has been adapted from the best-selling book of the same name by David E. Hoffman and the flick - which is being made by Walden Media and Akiva Goldsman's Weed Road Pictures - is currently in pre-production.
'Billion Dollar Spy' centres on Adolf Tolkachev (Crowe), an ordinary man who risks it all to pass thousands of pages of top-secret Soviet intelligence to the US despite constant rejection from the wary CIA.
Tolkachev finally finds an ally in the CIA in the form of agent Tom Lenihan (Lawtey) and is able to fundamentally shift the balance of power in the conflict, proving that true patriotism is not in blind allegiance but in the willingness to challenge a government that strays from its ideals.
Frank Smith, president and CEO of Walden Media, said: "Walden Media has always sought to tell stories of extraordinary courage, and 'Billion Dollar Spy' is no exception.
"Adolf Tolkachev's bravery reminds us that true heroism often comes at great personal risk, and his legacy is testament to the power of standing up for what is right, even in the face of overwhelming danger.
"We are especially thrilled to again work with the great Russell Crowe, who is no stranger to tour-de-force performances."
Goldsman added: "Greg Lessans and I are excited to partner with Walden Media, Amma Asante, and our old friend, the brilliant Russell Crowe, to tell this true story of loyalty and dedication to freedom on both sides of the Iron Curtain."
Russell won an Oscar for his portrayal of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius in Sir Ridley Scott's 2000 historical epic 'Gladiator' and the filmmaker revealed that the star wanted his character to come back from the dead for the sequel - which was released last year and featured Paul Mescal in the lead role.
Scott told People: "Russell and I had a go at it [planning 'Gladiator II'] around 18 years ago. I had Nick Cave writing the script and I kept saying [to Russell], 'But you're dead'. And he said, 'I know I'm dead. And I want to come back from the dead'."
The 'Alien' director recalled how he tried out an idea in which Maximus could come back from the dead via a "portal" which allowed his spirit to be reincarnated but Crowe turned the idea down because it would require another actor in the lead role.
The moviemaker explained: "[We tried the idea of] a portal to bring him back from the dead. The only way of doing it was to go to another battle and through a dying warrior, he comes back into the spirit of the warrior. So that's his portal...
"[Crowe] said: 'So that's no f****** good, is it?'"
