Father Joe Venice Film Festival & DEADLINE
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Kiefer Sutherland is back in the kind of territory action fans have been waiting for: danger, secrets, and a man willing to step into the fire. Father Joe has landed a U.S. deal, putting this 2026 action thriller firmly on the radar for anyone who still gets a jolt from hearing the name Jack Bauer.
A New Mission for Kiefer Sutherland
According to Deadline, Vertical has officially acquired the U.S. rights to Father Joe, locking in the film’s American distributor. A release date has yet to be announced, and the report does not disclose the deal’s financial or other terms, so those details are still under wraps—but this is a big move toward getting the film in front of U.S. audiences.
The film is directed by Barthélémy Grossmann and written by Luc Besson. Set in 1990s Manhattan, Father Joe follows Kiefer Sutherland as a priest waging a secret war against organized crime. Hollywood icon Al Pacino plays a major underworld figure, giving the movie a formidable screen presence on both sides of its central conflict and, in the eyes of action fans, helping cement Father Joe as a strong contender for an all-out action-movie banger without guaranteeing it’ll actually stick the landing.
Why Jack Bauer Fans Should Be Watching
I am a huge Kiefer Sutherland fan, and Jack Bauer from 24 is, in my opinion, one of the most iconic action heroes ever. That is personal fan commentary, not an objective measurement—but it is exactly why Father Joe immediately feels so exciting. Sutherland knows how to play pressure, resolve, and controlled fury, and the idea of seeing that intensity channeled through a priest fighting a hidden war is irresistible.
Father Joe is not being presented as a new 24 story, and there is no reason to treat the character as another version of Bauer. The appeal is different: a fresh setting, a new role, and the chance to watch Sutherland bring his unmistakable action-star energy to a story built around organized crime and moral conflict.
A Priest, a Mob War, and Manhattan’s Darkest Confession
The film’s plot premise is pure combustible noir: In the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy, where mob bosses’ rule and faith is fading, Father Joe (Sutherland)—a man of God unlike any other—wages a secret war, single-handedly busting crime rings and turning the city’s underworld into his congregation. As the stakes rise and the network runs deeper, Joe must forge unlikely alliances, cross sacred lines, and take his war beyond the church walls to save the lives no one else can. Confess. Repent. Pay—or face the consequences.
A 1990s Manhattan Crime Thriller
The 1990s Manhattan setting adds an immediately recognizable period flavor without requiring us to know more than the film has officially revealed. At its center is a priest with a secret war to fight and an underworld figure played by Al Pacino. That pairing alone promises a charged clash of authority, faith, power, and criminal influence.
Ever Anderson is also associated with the project, where relevant to the reported cast information. Beyond that, the smart move is to stay disciplined: until more official details arrive, fans should resist filling in the blanks with imagined plot twists, release plans, or character specifics.
The Deal Is the News — The Wait Is Now On
A U.S. deal does not yet tell us when Father Joe will arrive, how it will be released, or what kind of campaign will surround it. It does tell us the project has a path into the American market, which is the key development fans can actually report today. Everything else—distributor, date, terms, and further story details—still needs confirmation.
For action fans, the ingredients are already enough to get the adrenaline moving: Kiefer Sutherland in a dangerous new role, Luc Besson behind the script, Barthélémy Grossmann directing, 1990s Manhattan as the backdrop, and Al Pacino standing on the other side of the underworld—plus Vertical now officially on board with U.S. rights to Father Joe. That’s a serious reason to keep Father Joe locked on the watchlist.
Bottom Line
Father Joe has not revealed every card yet, and that is fine. The U.S. deal is a real step forward, while the film’s confirmed setup gives Kiefer Sutherland fans plenty to anticipate without resorting to hype disguised as fact. If you are a Jack Bauer loyalist—or simply love a hard-edged crime thriller with serious star power—this is one mission worth tracking.
Source: Deadline.
