'Shadow Force': 'Star Wars' Second Unit Director Victoria Mahoney Will Helm Kerry Washington And Sterling K. Brown Action-Drama

Victoria Mahoney, the second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, is set to helm the upcoming flick Shadow Force. The Lionsgate action-drama starring Kerry Washington and Sterling K. Brown follows an estranged husband and wife who find themselves on the run from their former shadow ops unit. Leon Chills (Spinning Out) and Joe Carnahan (Narc) wrote the script.Variety (and others) are reporting that Rise of Skywalker second unit director Victoria Mahoney will direct Shadow Force for Lionsgate. The film "follows an estranged husband and wife (portrayed by Washington and Brown) with a bounty on their heads. They are forced to go on the run with their son to avoid their former employer — a unit of shadow ops that have been sent to kill them." Mahoney's credits include episodes of Lovecraft Country, You, Grey's Anatomy, and more, along with the upcoming feature film Kill Them All.

This premise sounds promising, and Washington and Brown are both very talented, charismatic actors, so this is a film to look out for. And sure, Rise of Skywalker was a complete mess from start to finish, but that's not Mahoney's fault. The Lovecraft Country episode she directed – titled "A History of Violence" – was particularly good.

"Victoria is one of the most impressive and in-demand directors working today," said Erin Westerman, president of production for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. "Like with all of her work, she will bring iconic action, warmth, style, and gravitas to 'Shadow Force.' We know she, along with Kerry and Sterling and the talented production team will elevate this exciting production."

Washington and Brown added in a statement: "We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Victoria Mahoney. Her vision is inspiring. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her artistry and insight have already deepened this electrifying project."

Shadow Force will be produced by Stephen Love through his Made with Love Media company, along with Washington, who will produce through her production company Simpson Street and Brown, who will produce through his Indian Meadows Productions. Executive producers include Danielle Reardon, Jennifer Wiley-Stockton, and Katherine Atkinson.

There's no indication as to when we might see this movie, probably because everything is up in the air right now because we're stuck in some sort of nightmarish computer simulation that's been collapsing around us for the last few years. Hopefully, that gets sorted out sometime soon, because I'm kind of over it.