The acclaimed actors from Django Unchained and Prey are teaming up under the direction of a notable filmmaker and a renowned action screenwriter.
Django’s Walton Goggins and Prey’s Amber Midthunder are set to star in Painter, a forthcoming movie produced by James Cameron and penned by Derek Kolstad of John Wick fame (as reported by THR).
In the film, Midthunder portrays a skilled young woman who has been perfecting her talents since her youth. She must utilize these skills to save her abducted father, played by Goggins. Reacher star Alan Ritchson was initially cast as the father, but had to leave due to scheduling conflicts.
Painter will be directed by Garrett Warren, known for his work as a stunt coordinator on the Avatar series with Cameron. This project marks Warren’s directorial debut, following in the footsteps of Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, stunt coordinators who directed John Wick and then pursued individual careers.
Goggins and Warren previously collaborated on Steven Spielberg’s historical epic Lincoln.
Painter is among a plethora of new ventures for Goggins, who, as of 2025, has become a familiar face in TV ads and stars in the series The Righteous Gemstones and The White Lotus.
Goggins’ rising fame has not gone unnoticed. SNL alum Pete Davidson shared some words of caution about potential overexposure during a recent episode of the This Past Weekend With Theo Von podcast:
Consider Pedro Pascal. Just two years ago, he was a hardworking, highly respected actor… And then suddenly, he’s everywhere because he’s popular now, and people start saying, ‘Enough already, dude.’
It’s going to happen to Walton Goggins next. We lift them up and then quickly turn on them, sometimes within months.
Meanwhile, Midthunder appears secure in maintaining her fan base, having starred in major 2025 releases like Novocaine and Opus, with Davidson not mentioning her in his comments.
Midthunder won’t appear in Predator: Badlands, the sequel to Prey by Dan Trachtenberg, despite her celebrated performance in the earlier film which revived the Predator series. Although the previous film ended with a potential setup for a sequel, Trachtenberg has chosen a different direction.
In a recent interview with Collider, Midthunder shared her uncertainty about the future of the Prey sequel:
I really don’t know what’s happening [laughs]. I’d love to do it again. I adore Dan Trachtenberg and I’m very fond of that world and character. I’ve heard some really cool ideas that are quite exciting.
Prey has positioned Midthunder as a new female action icon, and Painter could further cement her status, especially with James Cameron potentially being involved, known for his work in developing strong female leads like Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton.
James Cameron, known for directing Aliens and Terminator 2, remains busy with other projects, including the upcoming release of Avatar 3 on December 19 and his next film The Devils, a historical thriller he described to Empire magazine as “completely wild.”
Painter still awaits a release date from 20th Century Studios.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
