London Calling is a 2025 action comedy directed by Allan Ungar, a stylish, snark-filled buddy film that blends bullets, banter, and unexpected bonding.
Filmed in Cape Town, it blends gritty action with odd-couple comedy, offering a fresh take on redemption, mentorship, and the messy art of growing up.
After a botched job in the UK, hitman Tommy Ward (Josh Duhamel) escapes to Los Angeles, desperate to return to his estranged son in London. To earn safe passage, he strikes a deal with his new crime boss Benson (Rick Hoffman): mentor Benson’s socially awkward teenage son Julian (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and teach him how to “be a man.” What begins as a reluctant babysitting gig spirals into a chaotic journey of shootouts, car chases, and unexpected emotional depth. Along the way, Tommy must confront his past—including the wrath of London’s most feared crime lord Freddy Darby (Aidan Gillen).
Director’s Statement
I love movies. I adore them. But there’s nothing I love more than a movie that sets out to deliver pure fun.
As a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s, the buddy cop genre and road movies were more popular than ever before, and they had a major influence on me when it came to the kind of films I wanted to make. Like a lot of people, I was charmed by the idea of taking two individuals from different walks of life and forcing them together; MIDNIGHT RUN, 48 HRS, LETHAL WEAPON, LAST BOY SCOUT etc.
The comedy that would stem from these pairings was always a joy to watch, and if you got really lucky the films would have some real depth to them. I’ve made it no secret over the years that it’s incredibly important for me to find as much heart as possible in the stories I want to tell, and it’s part of the reason why I’m picky when it comes to the films I choose to make. I strive to find the right balance of action, comedy, character, and heart.
Enter LONDON CALLING. As soon as my agents sent me this script, I was all in. It took the best elements of the buddy genre, stuffed it into a road movie, and encompassed themes of family, aging, and identity.
But more than anything, it was about fathers and sons. Tommy Ward has hit a point in his life where he has to accept what all of us do someday – that age catches up and we have an expiration date. He also needs to accept that his son doesn’t think much of him. Julian is a teenager who’s trying to figure out where he belongs in this world, and is desperate for his father’s approval. Both of these characters are at a crossroads. So the idea that Tommy has to take Julian on a journey to show him how to become a man is not only poignant, but it’s relatable. Sprinkle in the fact that the purpose of this journey is for Tommy and Julian to whack a renown hitman… well, now you have a recipe for some fun.
And speaking of fun: We shot this film in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa where we had the pleasure of trying to find a way to double it for both London and Los Angeles. While that was challenging on its own, we had to do it during peak season which happens to be when summer coincides with Christmas. This essentially meant that we weren’t allowed to shoot anywhere we wanted to. Each film comes with a unique set of obstacles and challenges, and while this one was no different, I have to say that it was
still the most incredible filmmaking experience I’ve had to date. I was blessed with an incredible cast, an amazing crew, and we made what I believe is a truly special film in a special place.
Getting the chance to reunite with Josh Duhamel after the success of BANDIT was enough of a reason for me to be excited about this film, but everything else truly fell into place. So I’m incredibly excited for audiences to experience a fun film that will not only excite, but will make them laugh, clench, and maybe even cry. Hope everyone enjoys the ride.
Allan Ungar
The inspiration behind London Calling stemmed from director Allan Ungar’s fascination with genre mashups and flawed masculinity
While specific interviews detailing his creative spark are limited, the film’s DNA suggests a deliberate homage to classic buddy action comedies—think Midnight Run or The Hitman’s Bodyguard—infused with emotional grit and redemption arcs.
Ungar reportedly wanted to explore what happens when a hardened hitman is forced into surrogate fatherhood, using chaos and comedy to peel back layers of guilt, regret, and reluctant tenderness.
The decision to shoot in South Africa, doubling for both London and Los Angeles, also shaped the film’s visual tone and thematic duality—two cities, two lives, one fractured man trying to make amends.
The screenplay was written by Omer Levin Menekse, Quinn Wolfe, and Allan Ungar.
Their collaboration blends sharp dialogue, genre-savvy structure, and emotional undercurrents, crafting a story that’s equal parts explosive and tender.
Allan Ungar is a Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter celebrated for his stylish genre work and kinetic storytelling. Ungar made his feature debut at 23 with Tapped Out, followed by the Netflix-acquired Gridlocked. He gained viral acclaim for his Uncharted fan film starring Nathan Fillion, praised for its wit and fidelity to the source material. Ungar’s true-crime drama Bandit (2022) was a streaming hit, and he’s now attached as executive producer on the upcoming Death Stranding adaptation. With London Calling, Ungar continues his exploration of flawed masculinity, redemption, and genre subversion.
Omer Levin Menekse is a Turkish-American screenwriter and producer whose work often explores identity, absurdity, and emotional dislocation. Born in Istanbul to a Muslim mother and Jewish father, Menekse channels his bicultural upbringing into stories that straddle humour and heartbreak. A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and an Annenberg Fellow, he’s served as a story consultant and script analyst across the industry. His co-written short Please Hold won a Special Jury Award at Sundance and earned an Oscar nomination, cementing his reputation for sharp, socially conscious storytelling.
Quinn Wolfe is a writer and composer known for his understated, character-driven work. His early short films, including Pillow Talk (2009) and Love Story (2012), blend quiet intimacy with lyrical structure. Though Wolfe maintains a low public profile, his contribution to London Calling reflects a knack for tonal layering—balancing action and emotional grit with subtle, humanising beats.
