Clive Owen Returns to Driving Duties in Neill Blomkamp-Helmed New BMW Short Film 'The Escape'

By Nick Schager, Yahoo Movies

Back in 2001, BMW Films produced a series of online shorts to promote the company’s latest line of cars. Starring Clive Owen as “The Driver,” and directed by ace filmmakers including John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, Guy Ritchie, Alejandro González I?árritu, John Woo, Joe Carnahan, and Tony Scott, the vignettes were an early Internet sensation, as well as one big reason so many die-hard James Bond fans were rooting for Owen to step into 007’s dapper shoes. While that never transpired, Owen has returned to his BMW role for a new promo short (watch it above).

Related: Clive Owen to Reprise Role as ‘The Driver’ in BMW Films’ ‘The Escape’

As befits its director, Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium), “The Escape” brings a little sci-fi style to its auto-mayhem. Owen’s still-nameless Driver is hired by Jon Bernthal’s paramilitary leader to evade police while transporting a young girl (Dakota Fanning) who, it appears, is a rare human clone. The mission doesn’t go as planned, however, once Owen’s protagonist gets his own idea about where to take his passenger — leading to much gunfire, car-flipping, and a great sequence involving a tug-of-war between an airborne helicopter and Owen’s ride, the upcoming 2017 BMW 5 Series sedan.

Related: Alien Day: Neill Blomkamp Instagrams a Grown-Up Newt

As always, Owen strikes a dashing pose as his wheelman-with-no-name, bringing his debonair combo of class and toughness to Blomkamp’s well-directed short. No word yet on whether “The Escape,” also co-starring Vera Farmiga, will be followed by further installments. To revisit a couple of previous outings with “The Driver,” watch the videos below.