Benedict Cumberbatch to Star in the High-Stakes Rescue Thriller LAST FLIGHT
Benedict Cumberbatch is lining up another intense, character driven project, and this one sounds especially gripping. The actor has signed on to star in the upcoming thriller Last Flight, a film rooted in real world events and built around split second decisions that can mean life or death.
The story centers on a U.S. man who helped persecuted individuals escape Iraq and Afghanistan, guiding them toward safety while navigating a system stacked against them.
Cumberbatch will play Kirk Johnson, an American thousands of miles away who becomes the final hope for a young Afghan man trying to save his family as the war reaches its final days.
The film is being directed by Babak Anvari, best known for Under The Shadow. Anvari is working from a script written by the real life inspiration for the story, Kirk Wallace Johnson. Johnson is an author, a former USAID coordinator who helped rebuild Fallujah, and the founder of The List Project, a charity focused on resettling Iraqis who aided allied forces.
After returning home with PTSD, Johnson also worked alongside Senator Ted Kennedy to help establish the Special Immigrant Visa program for Iraqis and Afghans who supported U.S. efforts during the conflicts.
Johnson’s script lays out the emotional and logistical nightmare at the heart of Last Flight: “Johnson’s script ‘unfolds over the final days of a twenty-year war. The film follows Ali, a young Afghan man, who is fighting for his entire family’s life to find safe passage out of Afghanistan, before he is sent to certain death.
“To reach the border, he must put his trust in Kirk Johnson, an American stranger 7,000 miles away who is desperately trying to put the war behind him.’”
Cumberbatch will also serve as an executive producer. Protagonist Pictures CEO Dave Bishop spoke passionately about the film’s balance of suspense and heart, saying:
“Last Flight is a rare thriller that combines relentless edge of your seat tension with profound humanity. Babak Anvari brings extraordinary urgency and compassion to this story, grounding its high-stakes momentum in the deeply human choices that define us.
“Benedict Cumberbatch will undoubtedly bring the intelligence, depth, and moral complexity this role demands. It’s an important story that speaks directly to our moment: a story about trust, responsibility, and the enduring bonds between people across borders. We’re incredibly proud to be introducing the project to buyers at EFM.”
For Anvari, the material hits close to home on a personal level. “This story is deeply personal to me. I come from the region, and what sits behind Last Flight is immediate and lived. It is a thriller built on pressure, momentum, and impossible choices, always driven by human consequence.
“I have admired Benedict Cumberbatch for years, and having him at the centre of this film is incredibly exciting. He brings a rare presence that makes the stakes feel urgent and alive.”
Producers from Two & Two and SunnyMarch added: “Last Flight is a moving, wild ride that is also a galvanising call to action: it reminds us that, even if you’re on the other side of the world and all you have is a phone, an internet connection, and a desire to help, you can make a difference.”
Source: Deadline