‘2067’ (Photo credit: Matt Byrne).
Seth Larney’s sci-fi mystery thriller 2067 will be released in China on at least 10,000 screens next year.
Odin’s Eye Entertainment clinched the deal for the film starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Mailman, Aaron Glenane, Damian Walshe-Howling, Leeanna Walsman and Finn Little with JL Vision.
The Chinese distributor has released a string of Hollywood and indie titles including Creed II, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fighting With My Family, If Beale Street Could Talk, King Of Thieves, A Private War and Vox Lux.
It’s the second major deal for the film produced by Arcadia’s Lisa Shaunessy and Kojo Entertainment’s Kate Croser. Shout! Studios pre-bought North American rights to the thriller set in a deforested and oxygen-deprived world reeling from climate change.
“2067 is a sci-fi film which we are very excited about. I strongly believe this film will make Chinese audiences feel exhilarated,” said JL Vision CEO Ricky Qi.
Shaunessy tells IF that sci-fi is a hot genre in China following Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth, which has amassed more than $US690 million in that market; Netflix has acquired the streaming rights in multiple territories including the US and Australia.
Smit-McPhee plays Ethan Whyte, a narcissistic underground tunnel worker who embarks on a journey through time while Kwanten plays Jude Mathers, a tunnel rat who serves as Ethan’s protector and conscience.
Glenane is Richard Whyte, Ethan’s father and one of the greatest scientific minds of his time who is working on solving the oxygen crisis.
Mailman is Regina Jackson, a corporate powerhouse who is Richard’s benefactor and believes there is a future for humanity, but at what cost? The cast also includes newcomer Sana’a Shaik and Nowhere Boys’ Matt Testro.
Smit-McPhee will next be seen as Nightcrawler in Simon Kinberg’s X-Men adventure Dark Phoenix and with Eddie Murphy in Craig Brewer’s Dolemite Is My Name, a Netflix-commissioned biopic of performer Rudy Ray Moore, who took on the persona of a pimp named Dolemite in the 1970s.
A VFX supervisor turned writer-director, Larney made his feature directorial debut on Malaysian hit Tombiruo (which was nominated for best Asian film at the AACTA Awards) after having worked on films such as Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Superman Returns and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
The Adelaide-shot film received production funding from Screen Australia in association with the South Australian Film Corporation and Create NSW, with support from Elevate Production Finance.
CumulusVFX is creating at least 450 shots, a lengthy process which means the film won’t be delivered until December, according to Shaunessy.
Kew Media Distribution is handling all territory sales outside China and Australia and New Zealand, where Umbrella Entertainment will distribute.