Highland Film Group has released the first look image and announced territory sales on the action thriller Gunner starring Morgan Freeman and Luke Hemsworth, which recently wrapped production in Alabama.

Dimitri Logothetis (Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxer: Retaliation) directed the film from a script by The Fast And The Furious franchise creator Gary Scott Thompson.

Hemsworth plays the title role of Special Ops veteran Lee Gunner, who takes his sons on a family fishing trip and must rescue them after they stumble upon a drug running operation and get kidnapped by the son of a jailed kingpin (Freeman).

Deals have closed in Germany and Eastern Europe (Daro Film Distribution), Australia/New Zealand (Signature), Latin America (California Filmes), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainment), and Middle East (Eagle Films).

Highland licensed further rights in Italy (IIF), Spain (Inopia Films), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Benelux (Premiere TV Distribution), Portugal (NOS Lusomundo), Greece (Spentzos Film), Turkey (MovieBox), and South Africa (Filmfinity).

Rounding out the Gunner cast are Joseph Baena, Connor DeWolfe, Grant Feely, Sean Rogers, Yulia Klass, John Hickman, Gary Wood, Barry Minoff, and Mykel Shannon Jenkins.

Joel Shapiro (Killerman, Dear Dictator) produced with Logothetis and Joel Cohen served as executive producer.

Gunner is financed by 120dB Films, Convergence Entertainment Group and Highland Film Group, whose Cannes sales slate includes Mandalay Pictures’ survival thriller The Ridge starring Billy Magnussen who will make his feature directorial debut.

By Jeremy Kay, Screenmedia