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An action film starring Gerard Butler and Mike Colter may seem like an obvious win for everyone, most of all audiences, but Plane has had a surprisingly turbulent ride to the big screen. The rights for this plane crash action flick were first acquired by MadRiver Pictures in 2016 and in 2019 Lionsgate acquired the distribution rights for the movie. This seemingly straightforward deal was significantly complicated by the Covid-19 Pandemic which delayed filming and even caused Lionsgate to briefly abandon the project. But now, finally, despite all the bumps, this tense actioner will finally be landing in theaters on January 13.
Here's everything we know about the new film.
Editor's Note: This article was last updated on January 6 with the latest trailer.
What Is Plane About?
Described by Lionsgate as a “white-knuckle action movie,” Plane follows a commercial pilot named Brodie Torrance. A severe storm puts Brodie’s piloting skills to the test, and when the plane is struck by lightning he must land immediately, but as the movie’s poster states, “the crash was only the beginning.” Following the plane’s crash landing on Jolo Island, an island off the Philippines that is the headquarters for the militant Abu Sayyaf organization, Brodie must try his best to protect his passengers and crew as they are taken hostage by terrorists. Brodie finds help in this from an unlikely source: Louis Gaspare, a passenger who was on the plane because he was being extradited for murder.
Who Is Making Plane?
Plane is directed by French director, producer, and screenwriter Jean-François Richet. Richet’s 1995 film Inner City won the Cesar Award for Best Debut Film. He has also directed films including 2018’s The Emperor of Paris and 2016’s Blood Father. Plane’s screenplay was written by Charlie Cumming and J.P. Davis. Cumming, who first came up with the pitch for Plane, is best known for his spy novels, which include A Spy by Nature, The Trinity Six, and A Foreign Country. Davis is an American screenwriter who previously wrote the script for the small film Fighting Tommy Riley.
Plane is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, and Marc Butan, as well as leading man Gerard Butler.
Who's In the Plane Cast?
Plane stars Gerard Butler in the role of pilot Brodie Torrance. Butler, perhaps best known for his role as Leonidas, King of Sparta in Zack Snyder’s 300, is a familiar face to any fan of action films. He also played Secret Service Agent Mike Banning in Olympus Has Fallen (and its many sequels, including the upcoming Night Has Fallen). When talking with Vulture, Butler noted that he’d always liked action films with “ordinary” heroes instead of superheroes, stating that
“I’ve always been into the hero’s journey but without necessarily having to be the most amazing warrior — because we’re all on a hero’s journey.”
Starring alongside Butler is Mike Colter, playing the role of Louis Gaspare. Audiences may recognize Colter from playing the title role on the Marvel series Luke Cage as well as making appearances on Jessica Jones and The Defenders. He also played Lemond Bishop in The Good Wife and its sequel series The Good Fight.
The role of the head flight attendant Bonnie is played by Daniella Pineda. Pineda is best known for playing Zia Rodriguez in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World Dominion, she also played Faye Valentine in Netflix’s live-action reboot of Cowboy Bebop. Playing Scarsdale, a former Special Forces Operative trying to rescue the passengers and crew is Tony Goldwyn. Goldwyn recently played Paul Cohen in the Oscar-winning film King Richard, Fitz Grant in Scandal, and Andrew Prior in the Divergent films. Plane also stars Yoson An, who plays the role of Officer Dele. An was previously in Disney's live-action Mulan remake and has significant martial arts training.
Is There A Trailer for Plane?
Released on October 26, 2022, the trailer for Plane shows Gerard Butler’s Brodie Torrance fighting to keep his passengers alive when they crash-land on a politically unstable island in the Philippines. “Survive together or die alone,” the trailer proclaims, a phrase that also appears on Plane’s movie poster and that may sound familiar to any fans of ABC’s Lost. The trailer also shows some of the beautiful location shots from when the movie was filmed in Puerto Rico and makes clear that Plane will be a tense ride from start to finish. A new trailer for Plane was released on January 4, 2023, as well. Check it out in the player below:
When Can You Watch Plane?
After a long and complicated preproduction, Plane will finally be released in theaters in the US on January 13, 2023. While January has traditionally been viewed as a “dump month” for movies that are not expected to do well at the box office, that conventional wisdom has become less true in recent years. As Collider’s Douglas Laman noted, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life was released in January and made over 60 million domestically on its opening weekend. Time will tell if Plane can do the same.
Is Plane Going to Be in Theaters?
Plane is going to be released exclusively in theaters. While Lionsgate had initially planned to release Plane on January 27th, the film’s release has now been moved up slightly to January 13th. Plane’s relatively short runtime of one hour and forty-seven minutes may make it an appealing option for those looking for a break from the longer action films that have been popular. Plane has an R rating from the MPA for language and violence. Plane’s wide release means that it will likely be coming to a theater near you, so be sure to check for local showings.
Is Plane Going to Be Streaming?
While Plane will almost certainly be available on streaming eventually, it has not yet been announced when that will happen. After the theater, Lionsgate films are first released to Starz and then to Roku. So anyone hoping to watch Plane at home should keep an eye on those streamers.
Anyone looking to warm up their January with a tropical action film should make sure they have Plane on their radar. While reviews are not yet in for the film, it looks to be an exciting and tense actioner with a fantastic cast and crew and a beautiful location.