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Russell Crowe’s ‘Poker Face’ heads to Stan

RZA and Russell Crowe in 'Poker Face'. (Image: Brooke Rushton)

Russell Crowe’s Poker Face will join Stan’s stable of originals following its premiere in Rome this month, with the high-stakes thriller to be available on the streamer from November 22.

Filmed in Sydney last year, the story follows billionaire gambler Jake Foley (Crowe) who gives his best friends a night they’ll never forget, a chance to win more money than they’ve ever dreamed of. But to play, they’ll have to give up the one thing they’ve spent their lives doing everything to keep – their secrets.

The cast also includes Elsa Pataky and Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, with Crowe writing the script alongside Stephen M. Coates.

Last month it was announced the film would be shown as part of the Rome Film Festival’s independently run Alice in the City section, where Crowe would be a guest of honour.

Having overcome various obstacles during production, including a COVID case on set, the director said it had been “quite an extreme project”.

“Trying to manage resources and people without the usual ability to meet and talk frequently over many months as you normally would do in pre-production on a film certainly put unusual pressures in place,” he said.

Russell Crowe on the set of ‘Poker Face’.

“Somehow though, those pressures have played into the movie’s favour and taken the subject out of a certain realm of fantasy and grounded it in a reality. What do we leave behind? What is our legacy? What is left to do for a man who has everything he needs, except time?”

Stan chief content officer Cailah Scobie said Crowe had created a “powerful and explosive” film that audiences would be “all-in” to see.

“Today’s announcement reflects Stan’s ongoing commitment to deliver world-class original films and series featuring the biggest names in Australia and Hollywood – both in front of and behind the camera,” she said.

“It’s a pleasure to see our collaboration with the Australian screen icon Russell Crowe continue, following his unforgettable performance in the Stan Original Film True History of the Kelly Gang.

Poker Face is produced by Arclight Films’ Gary Hamilton and Fear Of God Films’ Keith Rodger, alongside Arclight Films’ Ying Ye and Ryan Hamilton, Addam Bramich, Catchlight Studios’ Jeanette Volturno, Jason Clark, and Matt Williams.

Executive producing are Arclight Films’ Brian Beckmann, Screen Media’s Seth Needle and Conor McAdam, David Nagleberg, Walter Josten, Joe Thomas, Mikael Borglund, Romilda De Luca, MEP Capital’s Elizabeth Zavoyskiy and Andrew Kotliar, Jay Douglas, and Alceon Entertainment Partners with Julia Stuart and Laura Grange from Sky.

The Hamilton Entertainment production was financed by MEP Capital, Alceon Entertainment Partners, DC Tour Pty Ltd, Sky, and Screen NSW via the Made in NSW fund and Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Rebate. Arclight Films is handling worldwide sales.