The Protégé: Release Date, Cast, And More

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There's a whole slew of revenge-driven action films starring women coming out in the next year, but not all of 'em have Michael Keaton mugging it up as the villain. The Protégé is a beat-em-up action-thriller starring Maggie Q from the production team behind John Wick and the director of Casino Royale.

Here's everything you need to know about the project.

The Protégé was originally slated for release on April 23, 2021, but got caught up in a case of the Coronavirus Pandemic Shuffle. (It also changed titles twice.)  The date was pushed forward several months, and now The Protégé will release exclusively in theaters on August 20, 2021.

The Protégé is an action-adventure film in the vein of John Wick or La Femme Nikita. Campbell wanted to do as much of the action in-camera as possible. He credited Q's amazing action skills in an interview with Polygon, where he noted that she was trained in the art of action cinema by the legendary Jackie Chan.

The official synopsis reads:

Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) and trained in the family business, Anna (Maggie Q) is the world's most skilled contract killer. But when Moody – the man who was like a father to her and taught her everything she needs to know about trust and survival – is brutally killed, Anna vows revenge. As she becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer (Michael Keaton) whose attraction to her goes way beyond cat and mouse, their confrontation turns deadly and the loose ends of a life spent killing will weave themselves even tighter.

The Protégé is directed by Martin Campbell. Campbell directed Casino Royale and Green Lantern, proving that he contains multitudes. The script was penned by Richard Wenk, the screenwriter behind 16 Blocks and The Equalizer, and will be distributed by Lionsgate.

The Protégé stars Maggie Q as the titular character, Anna the assassin. Samuel L. Jackson will play the man who raised her and trained her in the art of killing. Michael Keaton looks like he's having an absolute blast in the trailer as the villainous Rembrandt. The T-1000 himself, Robert Patrick, will play a character named Billy Boy.