Runaway Jury: Inspriation for my first Thriller Opening idea

Inspiration for my first idea has just come to me after watching The Runaway Jury.
The runaway Jury is a court drama/thriller. This suspense-thriller takes place in a New Orleans courtroom, where John Cusack plays a juror in a trial against the gun industry. Cusack is involved in a conspiracy with his girlfriend (Rachel Weisz), who offers to sell the verdict to either side for millions. Gene Hackman plays a jury consultant hired by the gun manufacturers to make sure they win the case.

In brief the film follows a landmark trial a woman is taking the gun companies to court for compensation after a major family loss. Leading the defence for the gun companies is the constantly victorious Rankin Finch (Gene Hackman). A regular at fixing juries in his favour, Finch finds himself facing a challenge this time when a couple, one a jury member (John Cusack) and one working behind the scenes (Rachel Weisz) decide to make money out of the same skills Finch employs so successfully.

What I found interesting in this thriller that gave me my initial idea, is the way the outcome to the trial is being manipulated by the hired lawyers for personal gain. The outside influence which leads to events outside the courtroom I find this an interesting concept. It reminded me of witness interrogation that I saw recently when I watched Outlaw, and the prosecutors wife is threatened, then stabbed killing her and her baby.

The Runaway Jury has made me think of using a trial of some sort as a possible concept to base the plot of my thriller on . I however would also like to include a Gangster element to it, which leads to my initial idea. I am thinking of setting the opening to my thriller in central London, as it is associated with authority, and wealth, plus is commonly used as a setting for gangster films. So the basic plot behind my idea so far is like this.

An older mob boss, similar to the type played by Michael Gambon in Layer Cake. Has control of the majority of drugs that are entering and are sold in London. He decides who distributes them etc. We then have another younger , lower ranked drugs dealer, and his associates, he is one of The bosses distributors for a certain area or borough of London. He has decides that he wants out of the profession, after one last big deal for him to live off. This is where things go wrong. The last big drug trade is raided by the police, and our lower ranked dealer is arrested. But is given the option to help the police build a case against the Drug lord. Or obviously he will face a long prison sentence. He chooses to help the police.

The opening to the film will not be from the start off all the action, but sort of halfway through the narrative. When a successful case has been made, and the lower dealer and associates are required to give evidence in court to ensure the drug lord is taken down.
So the opening to the film , will be as one of the “Snitches” is walking on their way to court through busy central London. It would start off with a long establishing shot, then closer …. etc

Till we can see more detail of who this person is we are following/panning with. Meanwhile I think there would be cross cuts to someone as they are putting on a gangster jacket, black leather gloves, putting a balaclava in their pocket, and strapping a gun in their belt. All the time still cutting between the man walking, shown from different angles and this cutaway. We would then see from a long shot maybe a character wearing the clotes we were seeing being put on. He gets closer, and is wearing the balaclava, until he is behind our “Snitch” whips the gun out, and shoots him. I think there’d would then be a shot of him lying on the floor dead, and credits could begin. The reason the snitch is being killed is, because the Drug lords contacts on the outside have been ordered to eliminate the witnesses on the outside, and make the case against him collapse.

The film could then have scenes explaining the reasons for the case in the past, and plot wise a battle for police to protect the “snitches” as the hitmen as it were attempt to kill them.

I think the concept for the opening is achievable location and setting wise, and also it will only really require 2 actors so should be easier in those terms. However the specifics would need to be refined, plus i am sure i wll have oter ideas too.