Gerard Butler Takes on the Terrorists (Again) in 'Plane'

We can't count on many things in this era of upheaval, but the fact that Gerard Butler is starring in a movie pretty much guarantees that sacrifices will be made and asses will be kicked as the hero takes on an impossible task.

We're still waiting for him to return as the world's most lethal Secret Service agent Mike Banning in another "Has Fallen" movie, but we've got "Plane" to keep us occupied while we wait. The movie is set to be released in theaters on Jan. 27, 2023, and Lionsgate has released a trailer for the film.

If you're squeamish, be warned that the trailer features plenty of shots to the head, so many that it's a mystery why it's not age-restricted. This movie may not yet be rated, but it's sure looking like a hard "R" based on this video clip.

Butler plays Capt. Brodie Torrance, an airline pilot whose plane is forced to land on a remote Filipino island controlled by a separatist terror militia. His passengers are facing certain death if a military rescue squad doesn't arrive soon. It looks like they're not arriving soon.

He's got another problem: The FBI was transporting fugitive and alleged murderer Louis Gaspare on the flight, and now this mystery prisoner represents his best ally in any rescue that Torrance may try.

Gaspare is played by Mike Colter, who was outstanding in the Marvel series "Luke Cage" that didn't get enough of a shot back when it premiered on Netflix. He also played the character on the "Jessica Jones" and "The Defenders" series and, if Marvel can bring back Charlie Cox as Daredevil, they should really look at letting Colter play Cage again.

What are the odds that Butler's Torrance was a military pilot before he joined the airline? Approaching 100%. What are the odds that Colter's Gaspare has special forces military training? Definitely a lock. Let's say it's better than 50/50 that he was either wrongfully accused of murder, was defending himself at the time, or was forced to take out a villain who was about to commit a great wrong.

An actual military presence in the movie is a performance by former Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke, most recently seen in the Prime Video television series "The Terminal List," starring Chris Pratt and based on the best-selling novel by former SEAL Jack Carr. Remi's not visible in the trailer, so let's float a guess that he'll be part of the military rescue team that will land on the island just before the movie's climax.

There's more good news about "Plane," and it's not that they've already announced sequels with titles like "Truck," "Tank" or "Submarine" (even though that would be awesome). While the story idea came from first-time writer Charles Cumming, he co-wrote the screenplay with J.P. Davis, the actor-turned-screenwriter who penned the excellent Chris Pine military thriller "The Contractor," which still stands as one of the best movies of 2022.

Related: 'The Contractor' Asks How Ex-Spec Ops Warriors Are Supposed to Feed Their Families

Behind the camera is French director Jean-François Richet, who made the incredible 2008 gangster movies "Mesrine: Killer Instinct" and its sequel "Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1." The first movie is streaming on Prime Video, and both films are available to stream for free with ads on Plex.