A NORTH-EAST born film director is heading back to the UK for the world premiere of his latest movie starring Pierce Brosnan.

Scott Mann, originally of Newton Aycliffe, will fly to London from his current base in Los Angeles next week for the first showing of explosive action thriller Final Score.

Described as “Die Hard in a football stadium”, it is an independently funded British action movie which promises the production value and spectacle to rival Hollywood’s behemoths.

It stars James Bond’s Brosnan and Guardian of the Galaxy and Avengers: Infinity War actor Dave Bautista.

Speaking of taking on the opportunity to work on the film, Mr Mann said: “The script had me intrigued. I read it and it was really good – far beyond my expectations.”

The County Durham filmmaker started out his career with short films and directed several British television programmes.

Since moving onto the big screen, his works have included 2015 movie Heist, which starred Robert De Niro, Kate Bosworth and Dave Bautista.

It was off the back of Heist that he was chosen to direct Final Score by its brainchild and producer Marc Goldberg and Marc Wayne Godfrey, former CEO of television production and financing house The Fyzz Facility.

Mr Goldberg said: “He was first choice. Heist wasn’t a wide theatrical film but seeing what he was able to achieve on a relatively low budget and a short amount of days.

“We needed someone who got action and could work in a relatively unconventional way, and we met and instantly got on.

“He loved the project and came on and, to his credit, he and his writing team made some changes to the script and it worked.”

Written by The Brothers Lynch, the film follows a group of heavily armed criminals who take control of a stadium packed with 35,000 football fans.

Ex-soldier Michael Knox (Bautista) is forced to use skills from his military background and everything at his disposal to save the spectators, including the life of a fallen comrade’s daughter.

The production was filmed in the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park - West Ham United Football Club’s home from 1904 until 2016, when they moved into the London Stadium in Stratford.

Mr Mann will attend the premiere of Final Score at the Ham Yard Hotel in London’s Soho on Thursday, August 30.

The film is then set to be released in UK cinemas and on Sky Cinema from September 7.