The Freshening: John Boyega to Lead Cathy Yan’s Sci-Fi Romance Movie

Forum 1 year ago

The Freshening: John Boyega to Lead Cathy Yan’s Sci-Fi Romance Movie

Golden Globe winner John Boyega has signed on for the leading role in Birds of Prey filmmaker Cathy Yan’s forthcoming sci-fi romantic drama titled The Freshening. The film is based on Rachel Khong’s short story from The Paris Review.

“It’s a dream to work with John Boyega, a singular talent whose commitment to his craft and willingness to take risks have delivered such memorable, wide-ranging performances,” Yan said in a statement (via Deadline.) “I know he’ll bring incredible depth and nuance to Reese. I’m thrilled he’s on for this wild ride.”

Boyega is no stranger to the sci-fi genre, as his breakout role was that of reformed Stormtrooper Finn in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars sequel trilogy. Before appearing in The Freshening, he will lead yet another sci-fi movie — Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone.

The Freshening will be written and directed by Cathy Yan. Additional casting is currently underway as production on the project is scheduled to begin later this year. The story will see Boyega playing the role of Reese, a man living a future where tensions over race and gender have reached a violent extreme.

The project is produced by Yan and Ash Sarohia for Rewild, Adam McKay and Betsy Koch for Hyperobject Industries, Ali Wong, and FilmNation Entertainment.

“The film is set in an America dominated by a public health initiative known as ‘the freshening’ — where everyone is only able to see their own race and gender,” reads the synopsis. “In this near future other world, Sam and Reese (Boyega) meet on a drug that temporarily reverses its effects.”