Denzel Washington in Christopher McQuarrie's new film

Denzel Washington has landed a new leading role: The Hollywood star will appear in the next thriller from "Mission: Impossible" director Christopher McQuarrie. The film's title has not yet been announced. However, the release date has already been set: The new film starring Denzel Washington will hit theaters on October 1, 2027, as reported by Deadline.

But that's not all. The first details about the story have also been revealed. Christopher McQuarrie's thriller tells the story of a former police detective serving a life sentence who is diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. Faced with a life expectancy of only six months, he is granted early release. What does he do with the little time he has left? He returns to his daughter, whom he had left behind, and discovers that he now has a grandson. His goal: redemption. But apparently, it's not easy for him to leave his dark past behind.

Apart from Washington, no other cast members have been announced yet. What is certain, however, is that the screenplay was written by Scott Barkan and Gregg Zehentner. It's also confirmed that Christopher McQuarrie will not only direct but also serve as a producer. The film will also be produced by Heather McQuarrie, Scott Stuber, Nick Nesbitt, Joseph Restaino, Reza Moheet, Norman Aladjem, Katia Washington, and Tommy Harper.

A setback for another film starring Denzel Washington

Washington has been one of Hollywood's most renowned actors for decades. Over the course of his career, the 71-year-old has received numerous awards. Among other honors, he has been nominated for an Oscar multiple times, winning the Academy Award twice: in 1990 for the historical drama "Glory" and in 2002 for the thriller "Training Day." He was most recently seen in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II" and Spike Lee's "Highest 2 Lowest."

Washington had actually planned a historical epic about Hannibal as his next film project. He is set to play the lead role in the Netflix adaptation about the famous ancient general. Antoine Fuqua, who has worked with Washington on several occasions, is on board as director. The screenplay is by John Logan. The writer is familiar with ancient history – after all, he was already involved in the screenplay for the blockbuster "Gladiator." But there's a problem: Filming was supposed to start this year in Italy – but then production had to be put on hold. The reason appears to be unresolved budget issues. It remains to be seen how things will proceed from here.

Christopher McQuarrie is also set to direct King Conan

In the meantime, Washington's fans can look forward to the new thriller by Christopher McQuarrie. The filmmaker has made a name for himself primarily with high-profile action hits. As a director, he helmed a total of four installments in the successful "Mission: Impossible" series starring Tom Cruise. And this isn't his only collaboration with the Hollywood star. McQuarrie also directed the "Jack Reacher" film with Cruise and was involved in writing the screenplay for "Top Gun: Maverick," among other projects.

In addition to the newly announced thriller starring Washington, McQuarrie has been slated for some time to direct a new "Conan" film with Arnold Schwarzenegger, as reported by KinoCheck. For "King Conan," he is set to write the screenplay and direct. Schwarzenegger will once again take on the role of the fantasy hero – more than 40 years after his first appearance in "Conan the Barbarian." The new film is set to portray the legendary warrior as an aging ruler whose best years are behind him. Schwarzenegger compares the film to the Western "Unforgiven," which featured Clint Eastwood as an aging gunslinger.