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Jason Clarke to join Helen Mirren in the Spierig brothers’ Winchester

Jason Clarke.

Jason Clarke (Everest, Zero Dark Thirty) is set to join the cast of Michael and Peter Spierig’s supernatural thriller Winchester, acting opposite Helen Mirren.

“Jason Clarke is an extremely talented actor and we look forward to seeing him face off against Dame Helen Mirren as well as any vengeful spirits that might be lurking about the Winchester house,” said the Spierigs.

Production of the film is set to begin in early 2017, following confirmation of Screen Australia Production Investment earlier this month.

The film is also being financed by Bullitt Entertainment, Diamond Pictures and Blacklab Entertainment with further assistance from Film Victoria’s Production Incentive Attraction Fund and production investment from Screen Queensland.

Winchester follows firearm heiress Sarah Winchester (Mirren) who, after the sudden deaths of her husband and child, believed she was haunted by the souls killed at the hands of the Winchester repeating rifle.

But when sceptical San Francisco psychiatrist Eric Price (Clarke) is dispatched to the estate to evaluate her state of mind, he discovers that her obsession may not be so insane after all.

The Spierig brothers wrote the script with Tom Vaughn (Unstoppable).

Winchester will shoot in Melbourne's Docklands Studios in early 2017 before shooting on location at the real Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California.

Bullitt’s Benedict Carver, Diamond’s Daniel Diamond and Tobin Armbrust are executive producing. Andy Trapani, Toni Lianos, Brian Gilbert, Marc Shipper and Simon Oakes will also serve as executive producers. 

Winchester will be produced by Blacklab Entertainment’s Tim McGahan (Predestination) and Imagination Design Works’ Brett Tomberlin.

The Australian/NZ distributor is StudioCanal, with international sales by Diamond Pictures, Bullitt Entertainment and US Distribution confirmed via CBS Films.