Denzel Washington and Christopher McQuarrie Partner for Crime Thriller at Amazon MGM

Denzel Washington has signed on to star in an untitled crime thriller directed by Christopher McQuarrie for Amazon MGM Studios and Scott Stuber’s United Artists, according to reporting from The Hollywood Reporter. The film, which was previously known under the title The Frame, has received an official greenlight and is slated for a theatrical release on Oct. 1, 2027.

Production on the feature is scheduled to begin this November in New Jersey, The Hollywood Reporter reported. The project comes together after scheduling shifts for both lead creatives. Washington had previously been attached to star in an ambitious Netflix film centered on the historical general Hannibal, which was shelved due to elevated production costs. McQuarrie, meanwhile, is pursuing outside projects after an extensive collaborative run directing Tom Cruise across multiple Mission: Impossible installments.

The screenplay for the upcoming thriller was penned by Scott Barkan and Gregg Zehentner, whose writing credits include Into the Dark and Edge of Fear. According to the studio's logline detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, the narrative follows a former police detective who is serving a life sentence behind bars. After receiving a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer, the character is granted compassionate release with six months left to live. Upon returning home, he attempts to reconnect with an estranged daughter and a grandson he never knew existed, seeking to make amends before his dark past catches up with him.

A sizable producing team has been assembled to bring the feature to theaters. Christopher McQuarrie will produce alongside Heather McQuarrie, as well as Stuber and Nick Nesbitt representing United Artists. Katia Washington and Tommy Harper are also attached as producers. Additional producers include Joseph Restaino of Hungry Bull Productions, as well as Reza Moheet and Norman Aladjem representing Mainstay Entertainment.

Executive producers on the feature include Tony Stopperan of Hungry Bull Productions, Tim Honigman of Mainstay Entertainment, and Joe Guest, according to the trade report. Washington is represented by WME, while McQuarrie is repped by CAA and Greenberg Glusker.

The project arrives during a busy slate for Washington, who recently appeared in the Spike Lee directed production Highest 2 Lowest for AppleTV. Washington is also slated to star in Netflix’s The Take, formerly titled Here Comes the Flood, opposite Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones, which is targeted for a 2027 premiere. McQuarrie, whose recent directorial work includes 2025’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, is also currently setting up a feature film adaptation of the video game Battlefield at Sony, which is slated to star Michael B. Jordan.