The Fall Guy director David Leitch has told RTÉ Entertainment that film fans are set for "an underdog love story action comedy thriller" when the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt-starring take on the 1980s TV favourite comes to cinemas next May.
Leitch, a legendary stuntman who has already stepped behind the lens to direct John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and Bullet Train, has just unveiled the first trailer for The Fall Guy, the story of how stuntman Colt Seavers (Gosling) is charged with finding wayward A-lister Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) for director Jody Moreno (Blunt) - Seavers' former love interest.
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Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, Leitch said he has a lot of history with the much-loved Lee Majors-starring series - and directing the film has given him the chance to pay tribute to the stunt profession.
"It was one of the shows that influenced me in my subconscious that I wanted to come and live the life of Colt Seavers!" Leitch laughed.
"I think there's a lot of influences from that time - the Lethal Weapons and the Die Hards and the MacGyvers and all of the action shows of that era and action movies of that era have sort of influenced my work and my life. I mean, I came to make movies! So yeah, The Fall Guy certainly lit the fuse for a lot of stuntpeople of my generation!"
"Ryan and the team and I, we created a slightly different character," Leitch explained.
"He's a little more contemporary [as a] character and we draw on a lot of our experiences. My 25 years of being a stunt performer was probably different than the 80s experience - that Colt Seavers at the time.
"So, there's a little modernised version of this guy, but he is sort of underestimated all the time. He's an underdog, it's kind of a Rocky story. He's always taking down the bad guys. He's taking down the 1%, you know? A working-class hero!"
Of his own experiences in the stunt profession, Leitch shared: "Stunt people are underestimated and are sometimes seen as, well, you know, disposable. 'Throw him down a stairs - he's just a meathead anyway! Whatever! Get another stuntman in here! Throw him down the stairs!'
"But the real fact of the matter, and one of the things I wanted to highlight, is they're actually a really smart group of people who have an incredible skillset. They don't want the spotlight. They actually really enjoy what they're doing and they love making movies and they love their craft. But yes, constantly underestimated - just like Colt is in this movie."
The Fall Guy comes to screens via Leitch and his co-producer and wife Kelly McCormick's company, 87North.
"I think this one was probably the hardest one we've done! I think we did all practical stunts. There's a lot of pressure to do something that honours the stunt community where I come from, so there's a big weight on our shoulders there.
"It's not a known IP (intellectual property) so much so anymore as much as these other big franchises, so you knew you had to hit a solid hit with this."
Leitch is confident that audiences will think it's a case of a job well done when The Fall Guy opens on 2 May.
"We've been showing audiences and there's a real love and affinity for it," he concluded.
"It's a feelgood movie. It's like an underdog love story action comedy thriller! It really does have something for everybody.
"The action is off the hook - but the love story is going to bring in the people that love that stuff! And somehow, the peanut butter and the chocolate work together!"
The Fall Guy opens in cinemas on 2 May 2024
