John Wick Star’s Guy Ritchie-Style Action Thriller Reckless Locks Release Date
Long-underrated action bruiser Scott Adkins storms the screen in a hard-hitting, sharp-tongued brawler about a former con settling an old score.
If you thought you’d seen every variation of Scott Adkins pummelling people senseless on film, think again. The man’s made a career out of delivering brutal, sharply-choreographed action on modest budgets, mostly while half the cinema world barely seems to clock he’s the real deal. Well, he’s back again—front and centre in Reckless, which pretty much takes the Guy Ritchie formula and gives it a dose of proper knuckle-duster adrenaline.
Another Day, Another Scrap
Only this time, Adkins isn’t playing some mysterious hitman lurking on the sidelines. In Reckless, he’s fresh out of prison, still shackled by parole, and desperate to claim his slice of a heist from days gone by—if he can manage to stay half a step ahead of the police. So yes, lots of running, punching, and the kind of car chases that leave you wondering who insures these people.
The trailer, which just dropped, is exactly what you’d expect: fists flying, wisecracks, and that distinctly British rhythm you get with anything that lives in the shadow of Snatch and Lock, Stock. And to top it off, Vinnie Jones (yes, footballer-turned-perpetual hard man) turns up as the sort of supporting player who always feels like he wandered in from another Guy Ritchie set.
Who’s Behind This Mayhem?
Reckless reunites Adkins with Stu Small, the chap who wrote Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday—in other words, he gets the very particular charm and chaos that Adkins brings to action comedies. Small’s working from a script co-written with Matthew Robert Kelly (who’s done the rounds on films like Way of the Wicked and Bullet Proof).
Direction comes via Elliott Montello (his first crack at directing, but he’s got form with action, having worked on Mob Land and American Siege). To that end, you’re in safe-enough hands for the sort of snappy, brawler-friendly action spectacle Adkins fans turn up for.
Release Dates & What to Expect
The film’s already been out in the UK since February (somehow flew relatively under the radar), but folks in the States are only just about to get their shot. Reckless drops in US cinemas and digital platforms on 22 May 2026, care of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Early buzz? Still pretty quiet, but what’s there so far has been almost suspiciously on-brand: yes, it’s another Guy Ritchie-ish caper (for better or worse), and yes, Adkins is once again praised for being the sort of action star you simply don’t see enough of on the big screen. If your main criticism is ‘bit too much like a Guy Ritchie film’, you probably had too much fun anyway.
"He does what he does best" – in other words, battering assorted criminals in the most inventive ways imaginable.
What’s Next for Adkins?
If you’re still under the impression that Adkins is quietly fading into the background, you clearly haven’t seen his upcoming schedule. Here’s what’s cooking after Reckless:
- Leading the period action thriller Bedlam, where he’ll attempt to save his sister from an asylum (expect plenty of Victorian-era fisticuffs)
- Teaming up with Iko Uwais (from The Raid, no less) in sci-fi sequel Skyline: Warpath
- Returning to one-take action sequences in One Last Shot 2
- Making his directorial debut with the underground fighting drama Brawler
- Reuniting with Lewis Tan for the siege thriller Deadlocked
Not sure how he keeps up the pace, to be honest. Whatever vitamins he’s taking, I’d love to get the recipe.