The pace at which Guy Ritchie has been working of late is quite impressive. The British filmmaker has developed a habit of churning out at least one project every year, with multiple ones in development at the same time.
Ritchie, known for his incredibly witty and layered gangster films and series, in addition to a few espionage thrillers and fantasy dramas, is coming out with an adventure story titled Fountain of Youth. It is headlined by John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, and Eiza González.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Richie says he has been "making a conscious effort to diversify his body of work", as evident from the recent entries in his colourful filmography. "I found myself feeling like if I wasn't too careful, I was ending up in a comedy-action-gangster genre, of which, of course, I'm comfortable and enjoy, but at some point, I thought, you have to spread your wings as a writer-director."
Fountain of Youth, described by Ritchie as a family-friendly action-adventure film "in the vein of Indiana Jones but contemporary," is backed by Apple TV+ and has a script by James Vanderbilt, whose credits include Zodiac and Ready or Not.
As per the official synopsis, the film follows two estranged siblings, Luke and Charlotte Purdue, played by John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, who partner on a global heist to find the mythical spring.
"They both come from a background of archeological endeavors in terms of finding archeological artifacts, so there's a history there," says Ritchie in the interview. "They are estranged, but they find an alibi as to why they need to unify to find this particular treasure."
Shot in multiple locations across the globe, such as Egypt, Bangkok, and Vienna, Fountain of Youth is expected to be released sometime on Apple TV+ in 2025.
Aside from Fountain of Youth, Guy Ritchie is also working on an action thriller titled In the Grey, starring Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rosamund Pike, and Eiza González.
In addition, Ritchie is working on an as-yet-untitled crime series for Showtime and Paramount+ with Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren as principal cast members. The official logline describes the show as “an electrifying, new global crime series centered around two warring families based in London whose enterprises stretch all corners of the globe and the fiercely loyal ‘fixer’ charged with protecting one of them at all costs.”
Ritchie is also set to direct Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, and Sir Anthony Hopkins in a film titled Wife and Dog, which is said to be a "return to the colourful, back-stabbing world of the British aristocracy Richie explored in The Gentlemen film and TV series".
