EXCLUSIVE: Elsa Pataky (Fast and Furious franchise) is among several new additions to The brandthe upcoming spy thriller from director Justin Chadwick (Mandela: a long road to freedom). Others include Mark Coles Smith (We bury the dead), Jessica McNamee (Mortal Combat), and Rena Owen (Once we were warriors).
Character details of the newcomers are under wraps. As previously announced, Jessica Alba, Tom Hopper and Angus Sampson lead the cast.
Currently in production in Queensland, Australia, The brand follows Eden (Alba), an enigmatic spy on a secret and dangerous mission. When she draws single father Ben Dawson (Hopper) into her world of high-stakes espionage, his life is turned upside down. Mistaken for the deadliest assassin in the world, Ben becomes the perfect lure for Eden. She uses this confusion to expose a powerful network of corrupt politicians, placing Ben in the crosshairs of ruthless crime syndicates and the CIA, led by veteran special agent Len Milton (Sampson). With enemies closing in on all sides, Eden must keep Ben alive long enough to complete his mission, while Ben must summon his inner action hero to stay alive and return to the person who matters most: his daughter.
Written by Ronnie Christensen (Passengers), the film is produced by Alba under her Lady Metalmark Entertainment banner, Arianne Fraser (Land of evil), Delphine Perrier (Arcadian) and Henry Winterstern (Underworld franchise) for Highland Film Group; Jam (The marginalized, Slevin lucky number) for K. Jam Media; alongside Kosaku Yada for Westbrook Studios (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, King Richard); Tracey Vieira (Land of Evil) for Thug; and Peter Jákl (Farm). Will Smith and Miguel Melendez executive produce on behalf of Westbrook Studios, alongside Tracey Nyberg for Lady Metalmark Entertainment, Chadwick, Ceasar Richbow (Protective), Latavius Powell (The florist), Jason Hope (Ashley), Tracey Robertson (Land of evil), and Nathan Mayfield (Land of evil) for Hoodlum, and Jeff Kranzdorf (The mail), Gevork Semeriyan and Abraham Kesablyan for Falcon Films.
Highland Film Group is handling international rights and co-financing the project alongside Aperture Media Partners. The film is supported by the Australian Government through the Location Offset, the Queensland Government through the Screen Queensland Production Attraction Strategy and local government through the City of Gold Coast Screen Attraction Program.
Perhaps best known for her role as Elena in the Fast and Furious franchise, Pataky has also been seen in films like Furiosa: A Mad Max saga, Thor: Love and ThunderAnd 12 Strongamong others. She is repped by CAA, Elevate Artist Management and Morrissey Management.
Smith is repped by CP Artist Management; McNamee by Independent Artist Group, Independent Management Company, Untitled Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; and Owen by Greene Talent, Johnson and Laird Management and Feig Finkel.
