Fast Charlie

Fast Charlie is a 2023 American action thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Richard Wenk, based on the 2001 novel Gun Monkeys by Victor Gischler. It stars Pierce Brosnan, James Caan (in his final film appearance) and Morena Baccarin.

It premiered at the 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival on October 7, 2023. The film was released in select theatres and video on demand on December 8, 2023.

Premise
For twenty years, Charlie Swift has been a fixer and hitman for a mob boss named Stan. After a rival boss puts a hit on Stan and his crew, Charlie is the sole survivor. Charlie decides to avenge his friend and teams up with Marcie, the ex-wife of a mobster he killed.

Production
In June 2009, Victor Gischler's 2001 novel Gun Monkeys was optioned for a film adaptation, with Lee Goldberg writing the script and Ryuhei Kitamura set to direct. In 2018, producer Dan Grodnik discovered the project, acquired the underlying rights and brought in Phillip Noyce to direct (Noyce had directed Blind Fury starring Rutger Hauer for him in 1989).

Both Kevin Costner and Bryan Cranston expressed interest in starring, but the film didn't come together until Pierce Brosnan signed on. In March 2022, James Caan and Morena Baccarin joined the cast.

Filming began in April 2022 in New Orleans.

Fast Charlie was the last film to star Caan, who died on July 6, 2022. In the same month, Brosnan posted photos of Caan on the film's set.

Release
The film premiered at the 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival on October 7, 2023, while the film was released in select theatres and video on demand on December 8, 2023, by Vertical Entertainment.