UFC Champion Rich Franklin in ‘Weapon’

Another UFC veteran is being propelled into the arena of action filmmaking. Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin is starring in WEAPON, a production of Canada’s Peace Arch Entertainment.

In WEAPON, a lonely U.S. border patrol agent (Tiffani Thiessen) apprehends a genetically engineered super-soldier (Franklin) and experiences the ride of her life when the soldier’s creator (Bruce Greenwood) relentlessly hunts them down.

The 33-year-old Franklin is a former high school math teacher who trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and in 2005 earned UFC’s Middleweight title after defeating Evan Tanner. Other UFC fighters who have moved into acting include Bas Rutten (THE ELIMINATOR), Mirko Cro-Cop Filipovic (ULTIMATE FORCE) and Randy Couture (THE SCORPION KING: RISE OF THE AKKADIAN).

Co-star Tiffani Thiessen is the actress of SAVED BY THE BELL fame or infamy. Bruce Greenwood is the film’s acting heavy hitter. Greenwood had a sizable role in I, ROBOT and will be playing Christopher Pike in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming STAR TREK movie.

Filming of WEAPON, under the direction of veteran Hollywood stunt coordinator John Stead, began in Ontario on November 27, 2007. Some of Stead’s noteworthy credits as stunt coordinator or performer include MAXIMUM RISK, WITCHBLADE, EXIT WOUNDS, BULLETPROOF MONK, and THE INCREDIBLE HULK starring Edward Norton.

With writing credits from John Flock (FORTRESS 2) and Christopher Warre Smets (THE MAD), WEAPON appears destined to fit snuggly in 2008’s growing lineup of B-movies.