Editorial Staff
Andrea Riseborough (“Birdman”) and Christopher Abbott (”It Comes At Night”) are set to star in Brandon Cronenberg’s anticipated sophomore feature film ”Possessor”, it was announced today by producers Fraser Ash, Niv Fichman, and Kevin Krikst of Rhombus Media, and Andy Starke of Rook Films.
Arclight Films will represent worldwide rights to the sci-fi thriller and launch sales at the Cannes Film Market.
Cronenberg is directing from a script he wrote about Tasya Vos (Riseborough), an agent for a secretive organization who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people’s bodies, driving them to commit assassinations for the benefit of high-paying clients. But something goes wrong on a routine job, and she soon finds herself trapped in the mind of an unwitting suspect (Abbott) whose appetite for violence turns out to rival her own.
”Possessor” is produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation. Elevation Pictures will distribute the film in Canada.
Arclight’s Gary Hamilton and Ryan Hamilton will Executive Produce, alongside Steven Squillante and David U. Lee of Leeding Media, Noah Segal and Adrian Love of Elevation Pictures, and Tony Roman.
“We are very delighted to be partnering with the producers of Possessor to represent this incredible new project from Brandon Cronenberg. Brandon has a superb talent and creative vision for storytelling with rich ideas and concepts,” commented Gary Hamilton, Chairman of Arclight Films. “We are eager to present this visceral, high-concept project to our buyers at the market. I have no doubt our buyers will be enthusiastic to get their hands on it.”
“Andrea and Chris are among the most exciting and versatile actors working today and are perfectly suited to bring Brandon’s characters to life,” says producer Niv Fichman. “We’re also thrilled to partner with Arclight and Leeding – they’re world class collaborators who are as passionate about Brandon’s unique vision as we are.”
Brandon Cronenberg’s debut feature film, the sci-fi thriller ”Antiviral”, was in competition for the Cannes Film Festival’s Golden Camera and Un Certain Regard award. The film won Best Canadian First Feature Film at the Toronto International Film Festival for its “ambitious commentary and visual sophistication.”
