Alan Ritchson and Amber Midthunder have now joined the cast of an upcoming action film called Painter. Ritchson is best known for his work on the Prime Video TV series Reacher. The series has had two seasons thus far, with Reacher season 3 has finished filming and is slated for release in 2025. Midthunder is best known for her breakout role in the 2022 Predator franchise film, Prey, which was released to positive reviews upon its release to Hulu, with Screen Rant‘s own Graeme Guttman giving Prey a 7 out of 10.

As per Deadline, Midthunder and Ritchson have now joined a new action film called Painter. The film was written by Derek Kolstad and directed by Garrett Warren. The project will be produced by FilmNation Entertainment’s Infrared. The plot synopsis reads “Painter centers on a young woman, trained from a young age, who must employ every skill in her arsenal to rescue her father after he is kidnapped.” The film will be produced by Ritchson, Kolstad, Drew Simon, Josh Adler, and Dan Spilo. Simon, who is Infrared’s President of Production, said the following about the project:

Painter will be a seminal action hero film, making Midthunder into this generation’s Sarah Connor ( Terminator ). We loved Kolstad’s high-octane script, and we know with Garrett Warren at the helm this film will kickstart an exciting new franchise in the world of action.

What This Means For The Painter Team

This Could Be Career-Changing For Midthunder

Amber Midthunder as Naru at the end of Prey with Predator blood on her face

Midthunder and Ritchson are not the only notable names attached to Painter. Screenwriter Kolstad is known for his work writing the script for the original 2014 John Wick. Painter seems to have some similar threads to the Keanu Reeves film, because it involves a highly skilled individual trying to take down bad people, and will likely involve violent means to do so. The John Wick franchise was kicked off from Kolstad’s original vision, so hopefully Painter will be able to do the same as it aims to “kickstart an exciting new franchise.”

Painter is also an incredible opportunity for both Ritchson and Midthunder. Ritchson has gotten more and more roles as of late, so Painter can further establish him as the action star that he is already en route to becoming. For Midthunder, Prey was a huge breakout role. Like Simon mentioned in his commentary, Painter could make “Midthunder into this generation’s Sarah Connor,” thus elevating her profile. If the studio’s hope for a Painter franchise takes off, it could be career changing for these actors.

Our Take On The Painter Franchise

Painter Has An Exciting Team

Logan - Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the woods

While Infrared’s commentary is bold in asserting that Painter could become a major franchise, I see signs of hope for the film. In addition to its stars and writer, Warren is an interesting choice for the film’s director. While he has never helmed a feature film before, Warren is an experienced stunt coordinator whose impressive filmography includes Logan, Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Road House. This stunt experience will hopefully elevate Painter as an action film, giving it the thrills it needs for a successful new franchise.