The Cannes Film Festival may still be a few weeks away, but that doesn’t mean its film market can’t start heating up. Deadline reports that a package for one of the buzzier titles to hit the Croisette ready to go. And while it’s a Chris Pratt vehicle, not exactly an actor who comes to mind when thinking of Cannes, it’ll likely be a success for whomever snatches it up.
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Pratt will star in an adaptation of Jocko Willink‘s bestselling novel “Way Of The Warrior Kid,” with McG attached to direct. It’s the first time Pratt and McG work together, but it sounds like a winning combo for the white American male demographic on paper. Pratt will play a retired Navy SEAL who whips his 11-year-old nephew into shape over a summer, transforming him from a bullied pre-teen into a confident youth. Will Staples adapts Willink’s novel for the film’s screenplay.
Honestly, this sounds like a modern update to the “The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior,” but let’s not doubt Willink’s appeal here. The ex-Navy SEAL turned podcast, novelist, and motivational speaker is a guaranteed commodity, and “Way Of The Warrior” kid is just the first in a five-book YA series that’s won over a brand new market for him. Willink’s popularity mixed with Pratt’s charisma (admittedly bland but appealing to a mass audience) and McG’s basic competence behind the camera means this could be a youth empowerment tale that’s an assured box office hit in Summer 2025 or 2026.
FilmNation will handle international film sales at Cannes, with UTA Independent Film Group handling the North American market. Ben Everard leads producers on the film with McG, Willink, and Mary Viola. Willink provided an anecdote about how Everard’s first got interested in adapting “Way Of The Warrior Kid”: his kid loves the novel. “I’d done a private equity deal with one of my companies and one of the bankers, who was friends with Ben Everard,” recalled Willink. “Ben walked into his kid’s room one day and his son was down there on the floor doing pushups. He was kind of taken aback and asked, what’s going on? His son said he’d read Way of the Warrior Kid, and Ben thought, this must be a pretty powerful book if it’s having an impact on my kid like this.”
Meanwhile, Pratt also sounds excited about the project. “Making films like this is why I created Indivisible Productions,” the actor said. “In a world that feels divided, I believe it’s crucial to remember that we are one nation, and I hope this story will help bridge the growing divide and inspire the next generation to learn valuable lessons about discipline, self-reliance, strength, and compassion. This is the kind of movie that can define a generation, like “Karate Kid“ or “Rocky.” As a dad, this is the kind of movie I want to show my kids. So, with the help of an incredible creative team and the right partner, we’re gonna make it.”
So, right: “Way Of The Warrior Kid” sounds like it’ll strike a chord with a very particular demographic (that is, white, male, American, most likely right-leaning). However, before we guess its theatrical success, let’s see who snags this project once the Cannes Market gets underway next month. This film may not be for everyone, but it’ll resonate with a crowd that studios would love to appeal to.