Saban Films has acquired North American rights to the sci-fi thriller “Guns Akimbo,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, the company announced Saturday.
Written and directed by Jason Lei Howden (“Deathgasm”) the film stars Radcliffe as a nerdy video game developer in a dead-end job, who finds himself with guns surgically attached to his hands, forced to become the newest contestant in an illegal, live-streamed death match.
“When I got to about page 10 of the script and there was this scene where my character Miles with his new gun attachment hands has to work out and try to go to the bathroom. That was the moment that I was like ‘You’re fully exploring the premise, I’m in,” Radcliffe told TheWrap after the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“With gaming on the rise, ‘Guns Akimbo’ is a timely film that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats,” Saban Films President Bill Bromiley said in a statement announcing the deal. “Daniel is in a role you’ve never seen him in before. He and Samara shine throughout this thought-provoking take on the gaming industry’s future.”
Endeavor represented U.S. rights for “Guns Akimbo,” with international rights handled by Altitude Film Sales. Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban, alongside Altitude on behalf of the filmmakers.
“Guns Akimbo” also stars Samara Weaving (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”), Rhys Darby (“Flight of the Conchords”), Natasha Liu Bordizzo (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny”) and Ned Dennehy (“Good Omens”). Producers include Joe Neurauter of Occupant Entertainment, Felipe Marino and Four Knights Film’s Tom Hern.