HanWay's High-Rise signs for UK, France

HanWay Films has finalised deals for Ben Wheatley’s anticipated thriller High-Rise with StudioCanal for the UK and Wild Side co-founder Manuel Chiche’s new distribution company The Jokers for France.

As reported by Screen last week, Jeremy Irons and Sienna Miller have joined Tom Hiddleston on the cast of the in-demand Sightseers director Wheatley’s update of JG Ballard’s dystopian novel, which is being produced by Jeremy Thomas’ RPC.

Hiddleston leads cast on the thriller as a young doctor drawn into the violence and debauchery of a surreal 1970s residential tower block.

Shoot is slated to get underway this July in Belfast. Script comes from Amy Jump while financiers include FilmFour and the British Film Institute, with support from Northern Ireland Screen.

Thorsten Schumacher, managing director of HanWay Films told Screen: “StudioCanal and The Jokers are perfect partners for High-Rise, proven distribution experts in bringing ground-breaking films to a wide audience.”

Previous adaptations of Ballard’s work include RPC’S controversial drama Crash, directed by David Cronenberg, and Steven Spielberg’s epic, six-time Oscar nominee Empire of The Sun.

HanWay’s Cannes slate includes buzzed-about Todd Haynes drama Carol starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara; and Matteo Garrone’s fantasy horrorThe Tale of Tales starring Vincent Cassel, Salma Hayek, John C Reilly and Toby Jones.