Dark Castle Entertainment (“Last Breath,” “Shell,” “Orphan: First Kill”) has come on board to produce and finance “Zealot,” the upcoming claustrophobic thriller starring Djimon Hounsou (“A Quiet Place Part II,” “Blood Diamond”) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog,” “Disclaimer”).
WestEnd Films — which announced the project in Cannes — has sold number of territories, and is continuing sales at the AFM. WestEnd has also released a first look of the film, which recently wrapped production in Canada.
Directed by Vadim Perelman (“House of Sand and Fog,” “Persian Lessons”) and written by playwright Bennett Fisher — based on his award-winning play “Damascus” — “Zealot” is a film about privilege, paranoia, and the assumptions we make about one another. The film follows Hassan, a Somali-American airport shuttle driver in Minneapolis, who is struggling to make ends meet. When Lloyd, a stranded twenty something at the airport, offers to pay Hassan to take him overland to Chicago, it seems worth the risk. But as the realization grows that his passenger is not what he seems, Hassan finds he is trapped in a terrifying ride which he can’t escape from, knowing that to save himself might put countless others in danger.
The film is produced by Jib Polhemus (“Old Guy,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”), alongside Norman Golightly (“Last Breath,” “Shell”) on behalf of Dark Castle. Bradley Gallo and Michael Helfant of Amasia Entertainment are executive producing.
“The collection of talent, both in front of and behind the camera, that has been drawn to this project speaks to the caliber of this relentless and timely thriller,’ said Golightly, co-CEO, Dark Castle Entertainment. “Reminiscent of films like Collateral, audiences will be not only be on the edge of their seats, but they’ll have a lot to think about on their way home.”
Amongst the deals confirmed, WestEnd has sold “Zealot” to the Jokers in France, Plaion in Germany and Switzerland, United King in Israel and Front Row for the MENA region.
Perelman is represented by Artist International Group. Smit-McPhee is represented by Black Bear and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan. Hounsou is represented by Buchwald, Range Media Partners, and Nelson Davis. Fisher is represented by source | management + production.
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