Lionsgate Nabs Ensemble Pic Wayland, Michael Showalter to Direct

Forum 2 years ago

Lionsgate Nabs Ensemble Pic Wayland, Michael Showalter to Direct

According to Deadline, Lionsgate has successfully acquired the spec script to Simon Kinberg and Jessica Chastain’s newest movie collaboration titled Wayland.

The deal also includes a production commitment, with The Big Sick filmmaker Michael Showalter attached to direct the project. The studio is currently planning to begin its filming next year.

Further details about its plot and characters are being kept under wraps, but Wayland is being described as an ensemble drama-thriller in the same vein as A Simple Plan and Knives Out. The film will be produced by Kinberg, and Chastain has the option to join the cast or remain only as a producer if she wants.

This project marks the third collaboration between the Oscar-nominated actress and the X-Men producer after working together in 2019’s Dark Phoenix and the upcoming all-star spy thriller The 355 which will debut next year. Meanwhile, Showalter has directed Chastain in the recently released biopic drama The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which is currently receiving some Oscar buzz for the leading performances of Chastain and Andrew Garfield.

Wayland will also be produced by Audrey Chon for Genre Films and Kelly Carmichael for Freckle Films. Showalter is also set as an executive producer. The project will be overseen by Aaron Edmonds and Chisom Ude on behalf of Lionsgate.