‘Empire City’: Michael Imperioli, Danny Huston, Paul Ben-Victor & Evan Handler Join Gerard Butler Thriller; Australia Shoot Wraps

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), Danny Huston (Yellowstone), Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire) and Evan Handler (Sex And The City) have joined the cast of Gerard Butler action-thriller Empire Citywhich has wrapped in Australia.

In Empire Citywhen a hostage crisis erupts inside New York’s landmark Clybourn Building, former Navy SEAL turned firefighter Rhett (Butler), his squad, and his NYPD wife Dani (Hayley Atwell) must fight and navigate their way through the building to rescue the captives. Omari Hardwick stars as Hawkins, the film’s villain.

Pic is directed by Michael Matthews. Screenplay comes from Brian Tucker and S. Craig Zahler. Producers are Marc Butan, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, and Paul Currie.

Imperioli will play “Mayor Holloway, who serves as the highest political authority responding to the hostage crisis at the Clybourn Building, fighting to maintain power while the city burns around him.”

Huston takes on the role of Charles Clybourn, “the calculating heir to the Clybourn real estate fortune whose personal ambitions hide a devastating secret behind the night’s terror.” Ben-Victor will be Commissioner Lance Davies, “the NYPD’s top brass who finds himself navigating treacherous waters as the crisis unfolds and loyalties are tested.”

Handler is Chief Bagley, the “Intel Chief whose analytical approach to the crisis becomes crucial as layers of conspiracy are peeled back”.

The Veterans represents international sales and CAA Media Finance is handling domestic rights.

Previously announced supporting cast includes Mel Jarnson (Mortal Kombat), Tre Hale (Platonic), Michael Beach (Mayor of Kingstown), Dominic Bogart (American Primeval), Stephen Murphy (The Odyssey), Jack DiFalco (Daredevil) and Kaiwi Lyman (Den Of Thieves).

Imperioili is repped by Anonymous Content and Gersh. Huston is repped by Julian Belfrage Associates, UTA, and Untitled Entertainment. Ben-Victor is repped by Verve and Alan Siegel Entertainment.