Brooke Bunny
Despite the recent, tragic death of the film’s director David R.Ellis, Distant Horizons and Detalle Films have opted to push on with the film, hiring South African director Ralph Ziman to helm.
Samuel L.Jackson, who was set to reunite with his “Snakes on a Plane” director Ellis on the project, says the late filmmaker would want this movie done.
“The zest and enthusiasm David Ellis had for this project led to my commitment to do it. That same commitment to David leads me to fulfil my obligation to see his dedication fulfilled.”
Deadline, who first reported Ziman’s signing, also says India Eisley (”The Secret Life Of The American Teenager”, ”Maleficent”) and Callan McAuliffe (”Underground: The Julian Assange Story”, ”The Great Gatsby”) have signed to co-star.
The original Kite was controversial for its graphic depictions of sex and violence involving an orphaned girl who’s taken under the wing of a pair of corrupt detectives investigating her parents’ murder. The new version is described as a character-driven action film that charts the story of Sawa (Eisley), a young woman living in a failed state after the financial collapse, where a corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When Sawa’s policeman father is killed, she vows to track the murderer down with the help of his ex-partner, Karl Aker (Jackson).
The feature version of the Japanese anime is set to shoot later this month in South Africa.
