Ashton Kutcher set for 'Five Killers'

Robert Luketic to direct Lionsgate feature

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Kutcher

Lionsgate has set Ashton Kutcher to star in and Robert Luketic to direct "Five Killers," an action comedy that will begin production early next year.

Kutcher will play a former hit man whose life is turned upside down because someone from his past has paid a group of killers to bump him off.

Lionsgate acquired the project as a spec script by Bob DeRosa, and Ted Griffin is doing a rewrite.

Scott Aversano is producing along with Kutcher and his Katalyst Prods. partner Jason Goldberg.

Michael Paseornek and John Sacchi are set to exec produce.

Luketic is coming off "21" and most recently wrapped the Katherine Heigl-Gerard Butler starrer "The Ugly Truth," which Columbia Pictures releases April 3. Kutcher is coming off "What Happens in Vegas."

Lionsgate will distribute the film in North America, the U.K. and Australia, and Mandate Intl. will sell remaining world territories at AFM.

CAA reps Kutcher and Luketic, the latter of whom is managed by Mosaic.