EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Mackie (Captain America) and Dafne Keen (Deadpool & Wolverine) are starring in action-thriller Barracuda, which gets underway this week in New Mexico.
Divergent, Limitless and The Illusionist filmmaker Neil Burger is directing the movie, which will also star Steven Bauer (Ray Donovan) and Anthony Del Negro (Running Point). Screenplay comes from Adam Mason and Simon Boyes.
The synopsis reads: “When Karl (Mackie), a former smuggler with a haunted past, storms a nightclub in Mexico to rescue Jodie (Keen), a kidnapped teenage girl, he ignites a chain reaction of blood and bullets that burns across 100 miles of deadly roads toward the U.S. border. The breakout turns into a high-speed race when Karl kills the brother of the ruthless club owner and steals his prized 1973 Plymouth Barracuda. Now hunted by relentless criminals, Karl and Jodie tear across the desert with no way to slow down.”
Pic is produced by Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier and Henry Winterstern for Highland Film Group; Jack Rapke and Aaron Rapke for Image Movers (Cast Away); Kia Jam (Lucky Number Slevin) for K. Jam Media; Todd Lundbohm for 828 Productions (Trap House); Peter Jákl for R.U. Robot Studios (Locked); and Joe Di Maio (The Black Demon).
Executive producers include Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis alongside Image Movers’ Isaac Lilly, Wonder Street’s Mark Holder and Christine Holder, Bryan Coyne, Kyle Fox and Blue Rider Pictures’ Walter Josten.
Highland Film Group is handling worldwide rights and co-repping domestic with UTA Independent Film Group. Principal photography is set to begin this week in Las Cruces, NM.
828 Productions serves as the New Mexico production partner on Barracuda, providing studio facilities, infrastructure, and operational support from its Las Cruces campus.
“I’ve been looking to make a non-stop action thriller and I’ve finally found it with this great screenplay,” said Burger. “This one never lets up. It’s out-of-control, relentless mayhem in a real-time sprint to the border. I’ve also been wanting to work with Anthony Mackie for some time and know we’ll make a great team. As with Limitless and Inheritance, I’m inventing new visual techniques to make this movie a truly wild ride.”
“Neil Burger has a proven track record for directing films with a striking visual style and pacing. Barracuda promises to be the next display of his superlative visionary skill as a filmmaker,” added Highland Film Group CEO Fraser.
“We are delighted that Anthony Mackie, an actor so beloved by audiences worldwide, has joined the team to bring this adrenaline packed film to life on the big screen. He is the ideal actor to give our hero Karl, that perfect blend of cunning, physical prowess and deeply human vulnerability that the role requires,” commented Highland Film Group COO Perrier.
Mackie is represented by UTA and Inspire Entertainment; Keen is represented by Independent Talent Group, UTA, and Goodman, Genow; Bauer is represented by GVA Talent Agency and Zero Gravity Management.
Burger is represented by Range Media Partners and Goodman, Genow; Mason and Boyes are represented by Entertainment 360 and Hansen, Jacobson.