Worldview boards Mel Gibson thriller Blood Father

Ambitious Worldview Entertainment has come on to co-finance and produce Jean-Francois Richet’s thriller Blood Father, starring Mel Gibson.

The move marks Worldview’s seventh collaboration with Wild Bunch, which has introduced the project to international buyers here. CAA arranged financing and represents US rights.

Gibson will star as an ex-con who protects his estranged teenage daughter from murderous drug dealers.

Filming on Blood Father began earlier this month in New Mexico. Erin Moriarty also stars and Peter Craig adapted the script from his novel.

Why Not Productions’ Pascal Caucheteux and Sebastien Lemercier will produce with Chris Briggs alongside Worldview CEO Christopher Woodrow and COO Molly Conners.

Worldview’s Maria Cestone and Sarah E Johnson are the executive producers alongside Wild Bunch’s Vincent Maraval.

The companies are working together on Michel Hazanavicius’ competition entry The Search starring Berenice Bejo and Kim Farrant’s thriller Strangerland, shooting now in Australia starring Nicole Kidman.

Woodrow called Wild Bunch “one of the strongest and most impressive companies in the international market”.

Last week the CEO announced a five-year deal finance and distribution deal with The Weinstein Company that will see the latter provide 20 US distribution slots over the term.

Films under that deal will include Tulip Fever starring Christoph Waltz and The Woman In Gold with Helen Mirren.