Miramax Confirms The Burnout, a ‘Big Lebowski Meets Jason Bourne’ Action Comedy From Timo Tjahjanto

Timo Tjahjanto will direct The Burnout, an original action comedy at Miramax that the studio is pitching as The Big Lebowski meets Jason Bourne, per Deadline. Tjahjanto directed Nobody 2 and is credited as director of The Beekeeper 2.

The story follows a washed-up former CIA agent who has settled into a carefree life as a burnout in Ibiza. He is pulled back into action against his wishes, according to Empire.

The Writers and the Project’s Origins

Tom O’Connor, who wrote The Hitman’s Bodyguard, wrote the screenplay, and Hunter Toro handled the latest revisions. Miramax VP of Film Production and Development Arianna D’Andrea brought the project to the studio, per Mandatory. MovieWeb says the comedy only works if the action is credible, which makes Tjahjanto a fitting choice.

O’Connor’s earlier credit is itself a blend of violence and humor. The Hitman’s Bodyguard paired a protection specialist with a professional assassin and relied on the friction between its leads for laughs, which is the kind of tonal balance The Burnout appears to be chasing.

Understanding the Pitch

The two reference points in the studio’s pitch describe very different kinds of films. The Big Lebowski is a laid-back comedy about a man who drifts through life and is dragged into a situation he never wanted, while the Jason Bourne films follow a skilled former operative who is hunted by the agency that trained him. Combining them points to a lead who is more interested in relaxing than in fighting, yet still has the training to survive when trouble arrives.

Setting the story in Ibiza adds a further contrast. The island is known for beaches, nightlife and a carefree reputation, so a retired spy hiding there would be hiding in plain sight among tourists and partygoers. The tension between that easygoing setting and a violent past is the engine the premise seems built to run on.

Why Tjahjanto Fits the Material

Tjahjanto is an Indonesian director who became a name among genre fans with the action film Headshot in 2016, according to Filmstarts. He later made The Night Comes for Us and the supernatural horror film May the Devil Take You, both released in 2018, per Pajiba. Roger Ebert’s site describes him as a filmmaker who takes a chaotic, comedic approach to action, and it identifies The Night Comes for Us as the high point of that style.

Netflix then asked him to make another action film, and he delivered the comedy The Big 4 in 2022. His next Netflix feature, The Shadow Strays, followed in 2024. More recently he moved into studio projects with Nobody 2 and the Jason Statham sequel The Beekeeper 2, which follows David Ayer’s 2024 original, a hit that earned nearly $153 million worldwide, according to The Playlist. Dark Horizons adds that Tjahjanto also remains attached to direct a film adaptation of the video game Sleeping Dogs.

Tjahjanto was born in 1980 in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and is also known as one half of the filmmaking duo The Mo Brothers, which he formed with Kimo Stamboel. Roger Ebert’s site says The Night Comes for Us was a big enough hit for Netflix that the streamer asked him to make another action film, which led to The Big 4.

Miramax and Tjahjanto

The Burnout gives Miramax a second project with the director after The Beekeeper 2, which brings back Jason Statham as star and producer. Unlike that sequel, The Burnout is an original idea rather than a continuation of an existing film, and Deadline reports that Tjahjanto came aboard after working for the studio on The Beekeeper 2.

What Is Still Unknown

The film’s cast has not been announced, and Miramax has not set a release date. Polish outlet Filmweb notes that there is also no word on when cameras will roll or who is being considered for the lead. Although the pitch makes it sound like a thriller, Empire and Deadline both describe it as an action comedy.

Until casting is revealed, the main details available are the premise, the director and the writing team. Miramax has not yet shared details on the lead role, the production schedule or the release plan.