Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, Ocean’s Eleven) is set to direct Knockout for Relativity Media, which will star mixed martial arts fighter and former American Gladiators-redux star Gina Carano. Make of that what you will. The film, written by Lem Dobbs (Soderbergh’s Kafka and The Limey), is a spy/action thriller about a woman from the wrong side of the tracks given a second chance to use her skills for constructive purposes. It sounds an awful lot like La Femme Nikita, but hopefully Dobbs and Soderbergh have a unique angle on the fairly common premise. I can’t say I have any comment on the plucking of Carano out of being a fighter and into a leading lady, but I’ll have some faith that Soderbergh sees something there and she can act. Soderbergh intends to round out the supporting cast with name actors and shooting will take place in several locations around the world.
Production is expected to begin in late January. Meanwhile, Soderbergh’s The Informant! opens on September 18th.
