EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Oscar nominee and avowed genre fan Paul Giamatti has been set to star in his first horror movie in a decade with Boutique.
Giamatti will play American tourist Calvin who “journeys to the eerie English seaside town that inspired the work of his favorite reclusive author but instead gets entangled with a murderous secret society permeating the whole town.”
Filming is being lined up for this summer with the project heralding from writer-director Jim Gavin (Lodge 49). Giamatti will produce with Dan Carey through their company Touchy Feely Films (Outsiders) along with James Harris and Mark Lane for Tea Shop Productions (Obsession) and Guy Danella (Violent Night) for XYZ Films, who will also finance.
Pic marks Gavin’s feature film directorial debut, reuniting him with Touchy Feely, producers of AMC series Lodge 49. XYZ is handling world sales with UTA co-repping domestic rights. Jacob Jaffke (Maxxxine) will serve as executive producer.
Giamatti said: “I’m crazy excited to be a part of this project and for Touchy Feely to be working with XYZ. Scary, funny, bizarre, strangely moving, it’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read by one of the most talented guys I know, Jim Gavin!”
Sideways, Billions and Black Mirror actor Giamatti was Oscar-nominated for 2024 feature The Holdovers. Upcoming he has Tom McCarthy’s untitled drama, Jesse Eisenberg’s untitled musical and has been attached to star in an Eli Roth Hostel series.
XYZ Films and Tea Shop recently wrapped shooting on the horror film Banquet, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia and starring Meghann Fahy, Corey Mylchreest, and Alfie Williams.
“We’re honored and excited to be working with a legend like Paul and take his singular talents to new genre territories through Jim’s iconic script,” commented XYZ’s Guy Danella.
Giamatti is repped by UTA, Kipperman Management and and Sloane, Offer.