The comic book adaptation Cowboy Ninja Viking, which stars Jurassic World actor Chris Pratt and Priyanka Chopra, has been indefinitely delayed, Collider reported. “One month before production had been slated to start, Universal has removed the Chris Pratt action vehicle Cowboy Ninja Viking from its release calendar and delayed production indefinitely, though the film remains in active development,” the entertainment website reported.
The movie was scheduled for a June 28, 2019, release. Chopra’s attachment to the project was among the reasons attributed to her exit from Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat, headlined by Salman Khan. Although Chopra gave no reason for the move, news of her having been added to the Cowboy Ninja Viking cast came soon after she left the Salman Khan production. Television director Michelle MacLaren will make her feature debut with the movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the adaptation of the comics of the same name by AJ Lieberman and Riley Rossmo will resume production once its scripting issues are sorted out. “The pic was not an expensive gamble for the studio,” The Hollywood Reporter said. “Sources say it was in the $65 million range and looked at as a potential franchise starter.”
The movie explores a counter-intelligence unit that harnesses the personalities of dissociative identity disorder patients to wreck havoc. The patients are deployed as agents called Triplets. Pratt will play one such Triplet. Chopra will play Pratt’s love interest.
Variety reported that Pratt, Chopra, and MacLaren will remain on board for the Universal production. “Insiders say the studio delayed the film rather than rushing it out to make the June 28 deadline,” Variety reported.