Screen International is rounding up the key projects launched before and during this year’s American Film Market (AFM, November 1-6).
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From the US
The Pack
Alexander Skarsgard marks his feature directing debut with this psychological thriller starring Florence Pugh. Production begins in March 2023. CAA Media Finance and 30WEST jointly represent US rights.
International sales: The Veterans
The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Guy Ritchie will direct and Jerry Bruckheimer produce Henry Cavill and Eiza Gonzalez in the wartime spy thriller based on Winston Churchill’s covert unit set up to defeat the Nazis. In turnaround from Paramount.
International sales: Black Bear International
A Void
Genre-bending horror thriller about a troubled couple in a remote cabin who find a black hole on their property. Matt D’Elia directed and the cast includes Aya Cash, Joshua Leonard, and Alison Pill.
International sales: Visit Films
NAR
Hilary Swank will star in the action thriller about a downed pilot who gets rescued by a covert US defense department programme. Greg Kwedar directs and Peter Berg is among the producers.
Worldwide sales: WME Independent
Chief Of Station
Aaron Eckhart replaces Alec Baldwin in the lead as a CIA station chief forced back into the world of espionage after he learns the death of his wife was not an accident. Alex Pettyfer and Olga Kurylenko also star.
Worldwide sales: Concourse Media
Origin Of Species
Ron Howard is reportedly lining up to direct a true crime thriller for Imagine about people who turn their backs on society and go to live in the Galapagos Islands. Noah Pink is the screenwriter.
Worldwide sales: CAA Media Finance
Immaculate
Sydney Sweeney produces (with Fifty-Fifty films) and stars in this psychological horror set in the Italian countryside. Michael Mohen will direct with principal photography set for January 2023. CAA Media Finance and Paradigm handle US rights.
International sales: Black Bear International
The Island (working title)
Dramatic thriller directed by Pawel Pawlikowski and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara. Lined up for a 2023 shoot and produced by Tanya Seghatchian and John Woodward for Apocalypso Pictures, and Brightstar. WME Independent represents US rights.
International sales: FilmNation
Saw sequel
Tobin Bell will reprise his signature role as John Kramer in the horror sequel. Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures are preparing for a production start this month ahead of an October 27 2023 release.
International sales: Lionsgate International
The Silent Hour
AGC Studios will finance and produce with Eric Paquette’s Meridian Pictures this action thriller starring Joel Kinnaman. Brad Anderson will direct from an original Boston-set screenplay by Dan Hall.
International sales: AGC Studios
Sand And Stones
Highland Film Group will launch AFM sales on this Nicolas Cage survival thriller, to begin production in November in Dublin, Ireland. Ben Brewer directs, with Highland Film Group co-financing.
International sales: Highland Film Group
Retreat
Myriad Pictures will start talks on Gold Marquee Enterprises’s Australian action thriller directed by and starring George Basha.
International sales: Myriad Pictures
Mending The Line
Blue Fox Entertainment kicks off international sales on uplifting drama starring Succession’s Brian Cox alongside Sinqua Walls and Patricia Heaton.
International sales: Blue Fox
From the UK
An Ideal Wife
Emilia Clarke is to star as Irish author and wife to Oscar Wilde, Constance Lloyd, in the next feature from Good Luck To You, Leo Grande filmmaker Sophie Hyde.
International sales: Embankment Films
The Threesome
Chad Hartigan’s romantic comedy stars US Bullet Train actor Logan Lerman and UK Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, and follows a young man who finds himself involved in an unexpected threesome, with major consequences for all involved. CAA Media Finance represent North America.
International sales: Mister Smith Entertainment
A Spy By Nature
Paul Mescal will lead the cast of this thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald and written by Trainspotting writer John Hodge. Chris Clark is producing for UK outfit RedRum Films alongside Quentin Curtis.
International sales: HanWay Films
The Fox
Saint Maud’s Morfydd Clark and The Suicide Squad actor Jai Courtney are to star in darkly comic folk story The Fox, the debut feature from Australian writer-director Dario Russo.
International sales: Protagonist Pictures
The Boy At The Back Of The Class
Stephen Herek directs an adaptation of Onjali Q Rauf’s children’s book of the same name, with Laura Haddock attached to star. A young refugee gets the help of his new classmates to be reunited with his family.
International sales: WestEnd Films
The Young King
US filmmaker Larin Sullivan’s feature directorial debut stars Michael Shannon, Kiersey Clemons and Barbie Ferreira and is set amid the drag king scene of 1990s Las Vegas. WME Independent is handling North American rights.
International sales: Mister Smith Entertainment
The Radleys
Damian Lewis is attached to star in this supernatural black comedy directed by Euros Lyn, whose credits include Netflix hit show Heartstopper and feature Dream Horse. Based on Matt Haig’s novel, it is produced by Genesius Pictures.
International sales: Cornerstone Films
The Moogai
The feature debut from Aboriginal Australian filmmaker Jon Bell is about a young couple whose lives take a sinister turn when they bring home their second baby. It is produced by Australian outfit Causeway Films (The Babadook).
International sales: Bankside Films
Timestalker
Director Alice Lowe stars as a woman who repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a horrible death and gets reincarnated. Aneurin Barnard, Tanya Reynolds and Nick Frost joined the cast this month as its shoot gets underway in Wales.
International sales: HanWay Films
Went Up The Hill
Vicky Krieps and Dacre Montgomery lead Samuel Van Grinsven’s ghost story, which is produced by Causeway Films.
International sales: Bankside Films
From France
There’s Something In The Barn
Magnus Martens’ Norwegian holiday horror romp is described as “Gremlins meets Home Alone meets National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”, and stars Martin Starr and Amrita Acharia. Produced by Norway’s 74 Entertainment, with US-based XYZ Films executive producing and co-financing.
International sales: Charades
Princes Of The Desert
Eric Barbier’s adventure film stars Alexandra Lamy (replacing Charlotte Gainsbourg) and follows a young Berber boy who bonds with a camel as they cross the Sahara on an epic journey. Produced by SND alongside Vertigo Productions. Mika is behind the soundtrack.
International sales: SND
On The Wandering Paths
Directed by Denis Imbert, this adaptation of Sylvain Tesson’s book of the same name stars Jean Dujardin as a celebrated writer who falls from a building one drunken evening, ends up deep in a coma then wakes up and decides to hike all alone across France. Produced by Radar Films.
International sales: Newen Connect
Bonnard, Pierre & Marthe
Art-inspired love story about the renowned French painter (Vincent Macaigne) and his wife and muse (Cécile de France), with Stacy Martin, Anouk Grinberg and André Marcon co-starring. Martin Provost directs the Les Films du Kiosque production.
International sales: Memento International
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