Tom Hollander Joins Jean Reno in Tom Edmunds’ Action-Thriller ‘The Butler’ (EXCLUSIVE)

“The White Lotus” actor Tom Hollander has joined Jean Reno in the period action-thriller “The Butler,” directed by Tom Edmunds, helmer of “Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back).”

In the film, Reno plays a former WWI commando turned domestic servant whose peaceful life is upended by mobsters collecting an old debt. The narrative blends period drama with relentless action, described by Edmunds as “equal parts ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Die Hard.’”

K5 Intl. introduced the project at the European Film Market in Berlin and since then has closed a raft of presales in major territories, including Splendid (German-speaking territories), Mediaset (Spain), SPI Intl. (Eastern Europe and Benelux), Cinesky (airlines), Arna (CIS and Baltics), Falcon Films (Middle East) and PT Prima (Indonesia), with more territories to be announced soon.

The screenplay was written by Edmunds and Craig McInnes, based on an original story by McInnes.

“The Butler” is produced by Christopher Tuffin, Amanda Delaplaine, Ari Novak and Kevin DeWalt. Executive producers include Kevin Townsend, Nadezda Motina, Aram Ovannisyan, Edmunds, Chris Ochs and Andrew Bates, along with Daniel Baur for K5 Intl., William Ramsey and Colin Bates for Valecroft, and Roy Scott MacFarland for Tetrad. The film is a Strong Island production. The film is in pre-production and will shoot in Ireland in this summer.

Hollander’s credits include “The Night Manager,” for which he won a BAFTA, “Feud,” for which he was Emmy-nominated, and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“We are beyond excited to welcome Tom Hollander,” Tuffin said. “His versatility and intelligence add incredible depth to our story, and alongside Jean Reno, audiences are in for a fun ride and a treat.”

The stellar cast will be rounded out by Bobby Gilchrist, with several additional cast members to be announced shortly.

Tuffin also has “Last Meals,” starring Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook from director Ramin Bahrani as a hot seller at Cannes.

K5 Intl.’s Cannes slate includes Roland Joffé’s John F. Kennedy assassination thriller “November 1963,” starring John Travolta, Dermont Mulroney and Mandy Patinkin.

Legal and business affairs for Strong Island are being handled by Jere R. Hausfater and Larry Weinberg.