EXCLUSIVE: The Family Plan 2 and Sex Education star Reda Elazouar has been set to lead action-thriller Scorpion, alongside Alex Pettyfer and Clive Owen.

Principal photography has begun in Cyprus on the movie, which is being directed by Richard Hughes (The Enforcer).

Brit Elazouar has been cast in the lead role of Jason, a young police officer on his first assignment with an elite tactical unit of Afghanistan veterans.

The film began shooting in Cyprus on July 6 and will then move to Bulgaria on July 13, where production will continue until the end of the month.

Additional cast includes Mark Rhino Smith (Creed), Joey Ansah (The Bourne Ultimatum), Ronan Summers (Guardians of the Galaxy), Alex Cooke (Blacklight), Lea Anderson (Playlist), Anthony Del Negro (Lazy Susan), Luke Bouchier (The Enforcer) and Jake Ryan (War Marchine).

The synopsis reads: “Scorpion follows Jason, a young police officer on his first assignment with an elite tactical unit of Afghanistan veterans. During a nighttime raid on a remote farmhouse, the operation turns into a deadly trap. Cut off from all communication and sealed inside the building, the squad is confronted by a sinister voice issuing an ultimatum: every thirty minutes, someone will die unless one of them confesses to what the unit did during a classified operation in Afghanistan years ago.”

The screenplay was written by Hughes and Bennett Fisher (The Passenger). Director of photography is Jeremy Rouse (Burden).

The film is produced by Copper Island’s Matt Murphie, David Mansfield & Luke Bouchier (Dead Man’s Wire), alongside Yariv Lerner (Expend4bles), Jib Polhemus (The Mechanic), Patrick Hughes (The Hitman’s Bodyguard) and Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) for Huge Film.

Alex Pettyfer and James Ireland also produce for Dark Dreams Entertainment. Michael Lawrence (Bra Boys) serves as executive producer. Based in Cyprus, Copper Island will handle post-production.

WestEnd Films is handling world sales and will introduce first footage to buyers at the TIFF market in September.