Abel Ferrara has commenced principal photography in Michigan on the action thriller Game Of Death starring Wesley Snipes.

Voltage Pictures is handling international sales and Sony Picures Worldwide Acquisitions Group holds all US rights on the story of a hospitalised politician’s bodyguard who discovers the truth behind his mission as he tries to stop the world’s top five assassins from killing his boss.

Billy Dietrich and Rafael Primorac are producing and Voltage Pictures’ Nicolas Chartier and Nadine de Barros serve as executive producers alongside Roger Grad.

Bridge financing is being provided by Perpetual Media Capital Ltd principals Alastair Burlingham and Steve Robbins, who also serve as executive producers on the film. Bank financing is being provided by Adrian Ward at National Bank Of California.

“We are very excited to begin production on this project,” Chartier said. “It was exciting even at the script stage, but now with Wesley and Abel Ferrara reunited from the first time since their collaboration on legendary cult movie King Of New York, I think we have a very edgy and exciting action film on our hands.”

Chartier and Nadine de Barros brokered the deal with Dietrich, David Schiff and Grad.

Voltage’s slate include thriller The Whistleblower starring Rachel Weisz, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, and George A. Romero’s Survival Of The Dead.

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