(Updated 02/15/2023)
Following 2021’s Jason Statham-lead heist thriller WRATH OF MAN, British director Guy Ritchie returns with a new, action-packed spy comedy. OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE reunites Ritchie and Statham for their fifth movie together, with a comedic thriller premise that fits right in with Ritchie's sensibilities. Here's the first trailer for OPERATION FORTUNE, along with everything else we know about the movie.
The Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Release Date
OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE opens in theatres on March 3.
Check Out the Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Trailer
Judging by the trailer, OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE looks like it will be an action-packed romp. Sleek, sexy, and set to Dean Martin’s rendition of “Sway,” the trailer gives audiences a tantalizingly brief step-by-step through the plot while not revealing too much of it. Still, the three-minute trailer allows the starring and supporting members of the cast moments to shine and flash their comedic chops; namely Aubrey Plaza, who seems to be filling in the film’s chief comedic relief with ease.
What's the Story in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre?
OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE is about a super-spy named Orson Fortune (Statham) who must stop a wealthy arms broker named Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant) from selling destructive new weapons technology. To do so, Fortune must begrudgingly team up with a group of the world’s leading operatives and recruit a Hollywood movie star (Josh Hartnett), together spanning the globe in order to save the world.
The Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Cast
The cast for OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE is impressive, as Jason Statham is supported by a roster of big names. Statham’s illustrious career in action and thriller films has been established through his earlier collaborations with Ritchie such as LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, SNATCH, and WRATH OF MAN, as well as starring in films like CRANK, THE TRANSPORTER, and THE ITALIAN JOB, plus major roles in THE EXPENDABLES and FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchises. Statham is set to appear in the upcoming EXPENDABLES 4 as well.
Statham is joined by “Parks and Rec” breakout, comedy actress Aubrey Plaza, who has created a unique career in indie filmmaking with movies like BLACK BEAR, INGRID GOES WEST, and THE LITTLE HOURS. The supporting cast is further flanked by THE PRINCESS BRIDE star Cary Elwes, Josh Hartnett, Hugh Grant, Eddie Marsan, and rapper Bugzy Malone.
The Return of Josh Harnett
You might be surprised to see Josh Harnett’s face in the OPERATION FORTUNE trailer. The actor was a heartthrob on the cusp of massive fame in the late 90s and early 2000s thanks to roles in films such as BLACK HAWK DOWN and PEARL HARBOR. He ultimately prioritized smaller movies over blockbusters, and eventually took a step back from acting to raise a family.
More recently, Hartnett has been appearing on screens more often. He played a regular character on the AMC series “Penny Dreadful” between 2014 and 2016. After appearing in Ritchie’s last movie, WRATH OF MAN, Harnett reunites with the director for a more significant role in OPERATION FORTUNE. But that won’t be the last we see of Josh Harnett this year. He's got a role in Christopher Nolan’s bio-drama OPPENHEIMER, coming later this summer. The film is about the titular scientist who led the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb.
OPERATION FORTUNE opens on March 3.
All images courtesy of Lionsgate.