EXCLUSIVE: Protagonist Photos is launching gross sales forward of the Cannes market on Hera Photos thriller The Return of Stanley Atwell, which is ready to star Nicholas Galitzine (The Concept of You) and Marisa Abela (Trade).
Written and directed by Brian Welsh (Black Mirror), the movie relies on a narrative by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, who additionally serves as government producer.
The synopsis reads: “Stanley Atwell (Galitzine), the presumed lifeless son and inheritor to Lord Atwell’s title and fortune, unexpectedly returns to the household property having escaped a decade of mysterious captivity. Atwell’s surprising reappearance causes chaos as he finds his sister Beatrice combating to say his inheritance, while shut good friend Pamela (Abela) manipulates his puzzling return, and a darkish household secret, in a bid to grab management of the Atwell fortune. Intercourse, ardour, backstabbing and betrayal wreak havoc throughout the property because the lies and deception the Atwell identify has been constructed upon begin to unravel. How far is every member of the family prepared to go to guard their very own wealth and standing… and what’s actually behind the return of Stanley Atwell?”
Pic is produced by Liza Marshall for Hera Photos, which is presently in post-production with Amblin and Neal Road on Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. John Gore will function producer for John Gore Studios, which is an fairness investor within the undertaking.
Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun (The Substance) is confirmed as DoP. Government producers additionally embrace Protagonist’s Dave Bishop, George Hamilton and James Pugh alongside Hilary Sturdy for John Gore Studios.
That is Welsh and Soderbergh’s second collaboration as director and government producer, having first teamed on crime-comedy Beats.
Soderbergh stated: “I’ve needed to be within the Brian Welsh enterprise since I noticed his episode from season considered one of Black Mirror. I quickly found he’s pretty much as good a author as he’s a director, and the proof is how he expanded and improved the unique concept for Stanley Atwell into one thing that has attracted prime producers and an awesome solid. Now comes the enjoyable half for me: watching him go do his factor!”
Author-director Welsh added: “The Return Of Stanley Atwell is a mischievous and subversive thriller thriller – a punky and raunchy takedown of the British aristocracy that claws wildly on the unwritten guidelines that maintain hierarchy in place. Marisa Abela as Pamela and Nick Galitzine as Stanley Atwell is dream casting, and the script is full of scrumptious moments the place these two phenomenal rising stars go toe-to-toe.”
Liza Marshall described the undertaking as “one thing really particular — a seductive, entertaining thriller that feels recent, provocative, and not possible to look away from.” Dave Bishop, Protagonist CEO stated the movie “dives right into a world of privilege, secrets and techniques, and simmering pressure”.
Brian Welsh is understood for his BIFA-winning coming-of-age function Beats, set in opposition to the backdrop of Scotland’s Nineties rave scene. His TV work contains notable episodes of Black Mirror and Glasgow Ladies, and What It Feels Like For a Lady, produced by Hera Photos for the BBC, which is able to headline this 12 months’s SXSW London Pageant.
Galitzine most just lately starred reverse Anne Hathaway in Amazon’s hit The Concept of You, and within the streamer’s Purple, White & Royal Blue alongside Taylor Zakhar Perez and Uma Thurman. His movie credit embrace MGM’s Bottoms with Ayo Edebiri, Rachel Sennott and Netflix’s Purple Hearts reverse Sofia Carson and the upcoming Masters Of The Universe film within the lead function. On the TV aspect, he just lately appeared in Starz’s Mary & George reverse Julianne Moore.
Fellow Brit Abela was just lately BAFTA-nominated for the third season of hit present Trade and likewise starred with Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett within the Steven Soderbergh-directed espionage thriller, Black Bag. She beforehand performed Amy Winehouse in Again to Black, which helped her earn a nomination for a BAFTA EE Rising Star Award.
Galitzine is repped by Curtis Brown Group, WME Leisure, Nameless Content material, Gang, Tyre, and Johnson Shapiro; Abela is repped by The Artists Partnership, WME Leisure, and Sloane, Provide. Soderbergh is repped by Sugar23 and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols; Welsh is repped by Unbiased Expertise Group.
