Jason Statham To Star In 'Layer Cake' Sequel 'Viva La Madness'

[Akijama]

Before Daniel Craig became James Bond and help revolutionize the role and an entire franchise there was a movie he made that put him on the radar as a contender: Matthew Vaughn's "Layer Cake." A nifty little crime thriller which may not have lit up the box office, but at least earned solid reviews and gained more traction in its post-theatrical life as it spread through word of mouth. Now, a decade later, the nameless anti-hero is coming back but this time with a different face.

Jason Statham has optioned the rights to the sequel, "Viva La Madness," and will take the lead role for himself. Oh no, continuity! Well, don't cry too fast—the project is being developed in the spirit of movies based on Donald E. Westlake's Parker (who Statham has played) or Jack Ryan or Bond where the any actor can swap in. And moreover, this has the participation of the novelist J.J. Connolly who also wrote the book and script for "Layer Cake. So what's this all about? Well, here's the book synopsis:

J. J. Connolly the favorite voice of London gangster fiction returns with a tour de force: the Get Carter of the noughties, Layer Cake has also been made into a highly-praised film by Matthew Vaughn, starring Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller (it's also the most shoplifted book in England). Now Connolly is back with a sequel that sees him on the same stunning form, with his trademark razor-sharp dialogue and quick-fire violence, but also finding dark humor and pathos in the lives of violent men. From the London underworld, Viva la Madness moves to international crime with trans-Atlantic drug deals, money laundering, and high-tech electronic fraud, portrayed with the same uncanny believability. The anonymous hero of Layer Cake is pulled back into the drug game before he can escape to a sunny retirement. In a dazzling combination of London low-life, Caribbean high-life, and Venezuelan drug cartels toting machine-guns in Mayfair, our hero's voice and mission are authentic, thrilling, and whiplash-inducing in equal shares.

Seems like the kind of role Statham does best, and who can blame the guy for wanting to stay in the wheelhouse that pays the bills. No word yet on who will direct but we presume that's the next step in the development process.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayli...dness-20131111

[Foggy]

Ugh, a Layer Cake sequel, I really don't like the sound of this one, despite the fact I love the original so much.

[Infernal King]

This reminds me, I think Jason Statham could make a really good Bond henchman. A mano-a-mano battle with Daniel Craig would be awesome!

[Visco.]

I smell a straight to dvd market.

[Doctor Jack]

Why?

[Kevin Holly]

Of all the movies to get a sequel, this one never would have occurred to me in a million years.

[Show spoiler]Also, XXXX died in the first one, so....

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Kevin Holly

Of all the movies to get a sequel, this one never would have occurred to me in a million years.

[Show spoiler]Also, XXXX died in the first one, so....

I doubt that'll stop them from making a sequel, especially since the first film is so pulpy.

[RyanPom]

Layer Cake II - "A Piece of Cake".

[BluPat]

I liked the first one and love Jason Statham.

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Kevin Holly

Of all the movies to get a sequel, this one never would have occurred to me in a million years.

[Show spoiler]Also, XXXX died in the first one, so....

Well, to be fair, you don't see

[Show spoiler]him die - he was shot but it's fair game that he could have survived. It was left ambiguous.

Still, from Daniel Craig to Jason Statham - that's a drop (and I don't mind a bit of Statham every now and again). Seems to be turning it into one of those cockney gangster films the first one made fun of. A shame, I would have loved to have seen Vaughn and Craig return to this, I know they'd mentioned an interest since Connelly said he was writing a sequel.

On another note, I can't believe it'll be ten years next year since the first one.

[Yoku]

Whats the reason for having a sequel for this movie? Its not as popular as other gangster movies. They could have just started a original one instead of the sequel. I expect Statham's character will be a mixture of Snatch and Transporter

[marlon dingle]

This is not the Jason Statham sequel I want to hear about. Where is Crank 3?

Viva La Chev Chelios more like.