In a surprise announcement at CinemaCon on Tuesday, Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg declared they are moving ahead with “Mile 22” as an action franchise at STX Entertainment.

Wahlberg described the project as “an intelligent, adult action film” and said he and Berg want to make the first film as the start of a trilogy. “I still don’t feel like I have the movie, the role, that defines me,” he added.

The duo, who were brought on stage by STX Chairman Adam Fogelson but did not give details on how soon the project might go into production. Wahlberg noted that Fogelson had been key in getting him his first major comedy role in “Ted,” while Fogelson was running Universal.

Wahlberg and Berg have collaborated on “Lone Survivor,” “Deepwater Horizon” and “Patriots Day.” Berg directed and produced all three while Wahlberg was a producer on all three.

Wahlberg will be seen next in Paramount’s “Transformers: The Last Knight” and the sequel to 2015’s “Daddy’s Home.”

News about “Mile 22” first emerged in 2015 when it was reported that Berg and Wahlberg were in talks for the project, with Wahlberg slated to co-star with UFC fighter Ronda Rousey. Berg was on board to direct from a script written by Graham Roland. The film follows a CIA agent stationed in Indonesia who has to transport an informant from a city to a getaway plane at an airport 22 miles away.