Armie Hammer's "Citizen Vigilante" Lands First International Deal - And Buyers Are Paying Attention
If you work in acquisitions or track the crime-thriller pipeline, here's the pulse: Armie Hammer (movies and tv series)'s latest indie, "Citizen Vigilante," just closed its first international sale. Small step. Potentially big signal.
German indie stalwart Uwe Boll (movies and tv series) is behind the camera, and new distributor Free Wind has picked up the film for German-speaking Europe ahead of market activity. Kinostar, which is handling sales, says several U.S. buyers are circling with offers on the table. That's not nothing.
Boll sounds energized. "We're very happy about the great demand for Armie Hammer in 'Citizen Vigilante,'" he said in a statement. "In difficult times for the movie business it is very encouraging to see that with the right story and the right star independent movies can still work." You can almost hear the sales-floor chatter behind that line.
The setup is straightforward and commercial: Hammer plays Sanders, a vigilante who takes justice into his own hands and becomes a folk hero. Costas Mandylor (movies and tv series) (yes, from "Saw V") is Interpol chief Henry, convinced Sanders is a threat and set on stopping him. It's lean, familiar cat-and-mouse - the kind programmers can slot and audiences instantly get.
The production shot in Croatia in January. One eyebrow-raising detail: it was originally called "The Dark (movies and tv series) Knight." The title quietly changed - which probably saved everyone a lot of calls from Warner Bros.' legal team.
Free Wind is the new venture from Benjamin Krause, a name buyers in Europe will recognize from his time running KSM and Dolphin Medien. "We are very happy to continue our long collaboration with Uwe with 'Citizen Vigilante,' a collaboration which we had already started with 'Max Schmeling (movies and tv series)' in 2010," Krause said. So, this isn't a fling; it's a reunion.
Is this the start of a Hammer comeback? Maybe. Maybe it's just timing. But here's the context that matters: Hammer's career stalled in 2021 after multiple former partners accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct. He denied the allegations, and in 2023 Los Angeles prosecutors declined to bring charges. Since then, he's been stacking smaller projects, not waiting on a studio lifeline.
He has two more indies in the queue. There's "Frontier Crucible," a period western from director Travis Mills (movies and tv series) with "Bone Tomahawk" producer Dallas Sonnier, and "Night Driver," a neo-noir from John Bevilacqua ("My Funny Valentine"). Both are in post. In a recent email interview, Hammer said he's fine rebuilding from the ground up: "I don't need to be back making big studio films. I'm happy just making fun, smaller movies for now." That tracks with the slate.
Meanwhile, Boll is busy - again. He returned to features with the crime drama "First Shift" last year and didn't slow down. His refugee drama "Run," with Amanda Plummer (movies and tv series), James Russo (movies and tv series), Ulrich Thomsen (movies and tv series), and Barkhad Abdi (movies and tv series), rolls out worldwide Nov. 14. And he's got two "First Shift" follow-ups in post: "First Shift: Vengeance" and "First Shift: Redemption." Say what you will, the man (movies and tv series) ships movies.
Why this matters for buyers and programmers
Audiences know Hammer. Whether they like him or not, the name pops on a poster. Pair that with a clean vigilante hook and a Europe-friendly setting, and you've got a package that can anchor a crime-thriller slot on platforms and late-night schedules. If AFM buzz turns into a few more territories - and a U.S. deal - you'll see this one moving.
- Project: Citizen Vigilante (action-thriller)
- Cast: Armie Hammer, Costas Mandylor
- Director: Uwe Boll
- Status: Shot in Croatia; sales active
- Sales: Kinostar; first deal to Free Wind for German-speaking Europe
- U.S. outlook: Multiple buyers circling, offers reportedly in play
- Notable note: Former working title "The Dark Knight" was changed
Here's what this could mean. If "Citizen Vigilante" performs decently on the sales side at AFM, you'll see more modestly budgeted thrillers built around recognizable, if controversial, leads. It's the equation that's been penciling out for a while: familiar face, clear concept, tight shoot, fast post, straight to buyers hungry for sticky genre fare.
And on Hammer specifically? A single territory deal doesn't equal a "return," but it's a real step. If the U.S. lands and the film delivers watchable, efficient thrills, he'll keep getting calls. If not, he keeps grinding on indies - which, by his own words, he's okay with.
For now, the takeaway is simple: "Citizen Vigilante" is moving, the market is listening, and the crime-thriller lane - especially the vigilante subgenre - remains open for business. We'll see who signs next.
