In his career of three decades, Guy Ritchie has already made his share of thrilling action flicks, including his own adaptations of such source material as “Sherlock Holmes” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” His forthcoming thriller, “Viva La Madness,” will adapt a novel by crime-fiction author J.J. Connolly, and it will star Jason Statham, a B-movie action veteran extraordinaire. Now, we know the names of seven more actors in the film, which is currently in production.
Some Guy Ritchie Veterans…
One of the names newly associated with “Viva La Madness” is an actor who (as is the case with Statham) has been with Ritchie since the beginning. Vinnie Jones is a British former pro football player whose first-ever film role was in Ritchie’s feature-length directorial debut, 1998’s “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.” In this movie, he portrayed a gang enforcer. He also played a supporting role in Ritchie’s sophomore film, “Snatch” (2000), as a criminal. Each role earned him an award from the film magazine Empire. His subsequent films include “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006), “The Heavy” (2010), and “Kill the Irishman” (2011).
“Viva La Madness” will also star two actors who are well-known for their roles in Ritchie’s more recent work. One is Babs Olusanmokun, who played a spy in 2024’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced period action comedy that is liberally based on an account of real British secret agents during World War II, but is sometimes described as Ritchie’s even pulpier version of “Inglourious Basterds.” Olusanmokun also acted in the TV show “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and the two recent “Dune” films.
The fourth and final Ritchie-film veteran in “Viva La Madness” will be Jonny Lee Miller, who had a supporting role as a Colonel in Ritchie’s 2023 action-drama “The Covenant” (also titled “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”), which follows American soldiers in Afghanistan. Miller is also famous for starring in the biopic drama “The Flying Scotsman” (2006) and the legal dramedy series “Eli Stone” (2008-9).
…And Some Noted First-time Collaborators
“Viva La Madness” will be the first Guy Ritchie movie in the filmography of Jason Isaacs, a very distinguished actor who has played roles in popular blockbusters such as “Armageddon” (1998), “The Patriot” (2000), “Peter Pan” (2003), and the “Harry Potter” films, as well as dramas such as “Mass” and “Operation Mincemeat” (both 2021).
Another first-time Ritchie collaborator is Camila Mendes, who has played starring or supporting roles in no fewer than five romantic comedies, including “The Perfect Date” (2019), “Palm Springs” (2020), and “Upgraded” (2024). This is not to impugn her acting chops in more serious fare: she also played the leads in the neo-Western drama “Coyote Lake” (2019) and the psychological thriller “Dangerous Lies” (2020).
Ben Foster is another neo-Western star: in his case, he had an Oscar-winning supporting role in David Mackenzie’s “Hell or High Water” (2016). His many other dramatic credits include “Kill Your Darling” (2013), “Lone Survivor” (2013), “Leave No Trace” (2018), and a recurring role on the mid-noughties series “Six Feet Under.” (He also had a small role in the aforementioned “X-Men: The Last Stand”).
Finally, “Viva La Madness” will be the film debut of Rauw Alejandro, who is best known for his musical artistry, particularly in the reggaeton and Latin R&B genres. This won’t be his first acting role: he has played himself in a guest appearance on the Colombian telenovela “The Queen of Flow” (2018-26) and a fictional character on the Spanish action-drama series “Sky Rojo” (2021-3).
Little Else Known about “Viva La Madness”
This impressive cast list is about the only public information currently available about the film “Viva La Madness.” Aside from Statham, who will portray a drug dealer called X (as reported by Variety in October of last year), it’s impossible to say whom any of these actors will be playing in this movie, although those familiar with the novel may be able to venture some guesses. Connolly has co-written the script for this adaptation alongside Ritchie. Production is in progress in London, but no release date has yet been announced.
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