In today’s film news roundup, Noomi Rapace gets a starring role, ArcLight Cinemas hires Ted Mundorff and a “Karn Evil 9” movie is in the works.
CASTING
Noomi Rapace will star in the thriller “O2,” which will launch sales next week at the European Film Market in Berlin through Wild Bunch International.
Franck Khalfoun is directing and Alexandre Aja is producing and supervising artistic direction. CAA Media Finance will represent domestic rights.
Echo Lake Entertainment, 42 and Wild Bunch International are also producing. The script by Christie LeBlanc was on the 2016 Black List. The story revolves around a woman who wakes up in a cryogenic medical pod and finds herself alone with no memory. She has 90 minutes of oxygen left and must figure out how to save herself.
Rapace achieved international fame with her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the Millennium book series, which included “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl Who Played With Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.”
Rapace is represented by Stella Hernström and CAA. LeBlanc is represented by Echo Lake. Aja is represented by WME and Industry. The news was first reported by Deadline.
Popular on Variety
ARCLIGHT HIRING
ArcLight Cinemas has hired veteran executive Ted Mundorff as president and chief operating officer.
Mundorff was ousted last year as president and CEO of the Landmark chain, several months after Charles Cohen bought the circuit. Mundorff previously served as vice president and film buyer at Pacific Theatres and ArcLight Cinemas.
Christopher Forman, ArcLight Cinemas’ chairman and CEO, said, “I’m thrilled to be reuniting with Ted, an exhibition executive whose deep love of film and understanding of the customer experience will be critical to the future of our brand.”
Mundorff said, “I am excited to be working with Chris again, alongside the entire ArcLight team. Since its founding, ArcLight has been a leading innovator in our industry, and I look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful movie-going experiences to guests across the country.”
Mundorff currently serves as vice chair on the American Film Institute Corporate Council and as treasurer of Film Independent.
PROJECT LAUNCH
Radar Pictures has secured the rights to “Karn Evil 9,” the futuristic rock song from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, to develop as a science fiction film.
New York Times best-selling author Daniel H. Wilson is writing the script, centered on a society that has drained all its blood with a dependence on technology. Michael Napoliello and Maria Frisk will produce for Radar. The project is being developed with the full cooperation of ELP and its management.
“Karn Evil 9” will be executive produced by Radar’s Ted Field, who has produced over 60 films, including the “Jumanji” movies, the “Riddick” franchise, “The Last Samurai” and “Runaway Bride.”
“The visionary world that ELP created with their recording ‘Karn Evil 9’ is much closer to reality today,” Field said. “Our team at Radar looks forward to bringing this vision of where things may be headed to the big screen and beyond.”
