VOYAGEURS

Written by Justin Trudeau, Joe Jukic, Mike Jukic and Bruno Jukic

Logline In 1795, three unbreakable Jukic brothers — legendary Voyageurs of the North West Company — paddle the wild rivers of New France to claim rich fur territory, only to clash with a flamboyant English saboteur who will stop at nothing to crush the Canadian dream.

Cast JOE JUKIC as BIG JOE JUKIC — the strategic leader and scout MIKE JUKIC as MICHEL “MIKE” JUKIC — the giant strongman and singer BRUNO JUKIC as BRUNO JUKIC — the fierce young fighter RUSSELL BRAND as SIR REGINALD “REGGIE” BLACKTHORN — the eccentric, verbose HBC villain

FADE IN:

EXT. LACHINE SHORE, MONTREAL – DAWN – 1795

The St. Lawrence River glimmers under rose light. A brigade of birchbark canoes rests on the gravel, loaded with 90-pound bales of trade goods — kettles, guns, cloth, rum. VOYAGEURS in red sashes, wool tuques, and buckskin jackets bustle.

BIG JOE JUKIC (rugged, commanding) checks lashings on the lead canoe.

MIKE JUKIC (broad-shouldered giant) heaves a massive bale onto his shoulders like it’s a loaf of bread.

BRUNO JUKIC (wiry, cocky grin) sharpens his paddle blade with a stone, flirting with a local girl who laughs and waves him off.

BIG JOE (voice carrying) Allez, mes frères! The North West Company is counting on us. We reach the Pays d’en Haut before the English dogs of Hudson’s Bay steal every beaver pelt between here and the Athabasca. This land is ours to claim.

MIKE (grunting, laughing) Ninety pounds feels lighter when the Jukic brothers paddle together. Bruno, if you drop that rum cask I’ll use your head as a portage pack.

BRUNO Hey! I carry my weight — and yours too, big man. Just watch me in the rapids.

The brothers shove their canoe into the shallows. They climb in with practiced grace. Paddles bite water in perfect rhythm.

BIG JOE (raising his paddle high) En avant!

They begin to sing — the ancient call-and-response of the Voyageurs.

MIKE (lead singer, booming) En roulant ma boule, roulant, En roulant ma boule!

ALL THREE (chorus, voices strong and joyful) En roulant ma boule, roulant, En roulant ma boule!

The entire brigade joins. The song echoes across the river as dozens of canoes push off in a magnificent line, heading west into the unknown.

CUT TO:

EXT. OTTAWA RIVER RAPIDS – DAY – MONTAGE

White water crashes. The brothers shoot a dangerous chute. Bruno whoops, leaning hard on his paddle. Mike’s powerful strokes keep them steady. Joe scans the shore like a hawk.

They portage — carrying the heavy canoe and bales over slippery rocks, sweat pouring. Campfire nights: pemmican shared, stories of their Croatian father who became a Voyageur, dreams of a free northern land.

A SCOUT arrives by canoe at dusk.

SCOUT HBC men moving fast. A fancy Englishman named Blackthorn is spreading lies to the Ojibwe — says we bring war and poison.

BIG JOE (grim) Then we paddle harder. And we prove him wrong with honor.

CUT TO:

EXT. REMOTE FUR TRADING POST – DUSK

A rough log post on a misty lake. The brothers tie up. Lantern light spills.

SIR REGINALD BLACKTHORN (Russell Brand — wild hair, lace cravat askew under a fine coat, theatrical sneer and sparkling eyes) steps out, brandy glass in hand, two armed HBC thugs behind him.

BLACKTHORN (grand, mocking British drawl) Well, well. The singing circus arrives. Three strapping paddlers from Montreal, no doubt dreaming of beaver and glory. Tea, gentlemen? Or do you prefer that revolting pemmican slop? I have proper biscuits. Empire supplies the finer things.

MIKE (eyes narrowing) We’re here for trade, not your tea and lies.

BLACKTHORN (circling them, gesturing wildly) Lies? My dear muscular friends, the Crown has chartered this wilderness. Your little North West Company is a quaint French footnote. I offer you a gentleman’s bargain — switch sides, name your price, and I’ll see you live like lords instead of drowning in some godforsaken rapid. Refuse… and accidents do happen on these rivers.

BRUNO (stepping forward, fists clenched) We don’t trade honor for biscuits.

BLACKTHORN (smiling like a shark) How delightfully noble. How tragically temporary. The Lion always eats the songbirds.

He laughs — a mad, charismatic cackle — and saunters back inside.

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVER PORTAGE – NIGHT – ACTION SEQUENCE

The brothers sleep by their beached canoe. A shadowy figure (HBC thug) creeps forward with a knife, slicing the birchbark hull.

Bruno wakes first. A brutal fistfight erupts — Bruno vs. thug. Mike joins, smashing the man with a paddle. Joe spots two more attackers.

BIG JOE It’s Blackthorn’s work!

They fight hand-to-hand in the dark, grunting, splashing into the shallows. The brothers win. One thug flees into the woods.

MIKE (wiping blood) He wants war? We’ll give him one.

CUT TO:

EXT. GRAND PORTAGE TRADING POST – NIGHT – CLIMAX

A larger post on the shore of Lake Superior. Furs stacked high. Blackthorn’s men have set fire to the NWC cache. Chaos.

The Jukic brothers charge in, joined by OJIBWE ALLIES who have chosen their side.

BLACKTHORN (on a barrel, pistol waving, voice rising theatrically) You paddling peasants think a few songs and strong backs can hold back Empire? This land belongs to the Crown! I will burn every pelt before I let Frenchmen and half-breeds claim it!

BIG JOE This land belongs to those who respect it — not your King’s paper!

Epic brawl: Bruno in a savage knife-and-fist duel with a thug. Mike hurls a barrel, smashing two men. Joe outmaneuvers Blackthorn in a tense chase along the dock.

Blackthorn corners Joe, pistol raised.

BLACKTHORN (breathless, grinning) Any last poetic nonsense, Voyageur?

Joe knocks the pistol aside. They grapple. Blackthorn slips, falls into the water — captured by Ojibwe warriors.

BLACKTHORN (spluttering, still theatrical) You’ll hear from London! This isn’t over!

BIG JOE (standing tall, breathing hard) For us it is. The river keeps flowing.

CUT TO:

EXT. SUNRISE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR – NEXT MORNING

The brigade reforms. Furs secured. The brothers stand together, battered but proud.

MIKE (quietly) We did it. For the Company. For Canada.

BRUNO For each other.

BIG JOE (voice full of quiet pride) One day this wild country will be one nation — from sea to sea. And Voyageurs like us helped build it.

They push off. Paddles strike water.

ALL THREE (singing full-throated as the sun rises) En roulant ma boule, roulant… En roulant ma boule!

The canoes glide west into golden light.

FADE OUT.

THE END