Lionsgate has picked up the North American and key international rights to the psychological thriller “Fatale” starring Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Joe Drake announced Thursday.
Mike Colter and Tyrin Turner also star in the film directed by Deon Taylor, who most recently directed the summer sleeper hit “The Intruder.”
“Fatale” follows a married man who finds himself living in a nightmare as he is manipulated by a mysterious woman after having a one-night stand with her. David Loughery wrote and produced the film. Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group partner Roxanne Taylor also produced, while Robert F. Smith executive produced.
“We previously acquired Deon’s thriller ‘Traffik,’ and when Damon Wolf came to Lionsgate on the heels of working with Deon, he mentioned we should keep our eye on ‘Fatale.’ He could not have been more right. We are all big fans of Deon and are thrilled to have him back at Lionsgate,” said Jason Constantine, Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions. “This film has the heat and erotic appeal of relationship-gone-wrong thrillers like ‘Unfaithful,’ ‘Fatal Attraction’ or ‘Basic Instinct.’ Deon Taylor has delivered a morally complex and outstanding character-driven thriller with riveting performances by Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy.”
Taylor added: “Damon and I had the chance to work together on ‘The Intruder,’ and like a character from this new movie, he became almost obsessed with this project. I can feel that energy and passion with the Lionsgate team and I’m excited to be working with Joe, and to be reunited with Damon, Jason and Eda and the whole entire Lionsgate film group.”
Constantine and Eda Kowan negotiated the rights to ‘Fatale.’ Endeavor Content and Glen Mastroberte of Latham & Watkins negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers and is representing international sales.
Taylor will next direct “Black and Blue,” starring Naomie Harris, Frank Grillo, Tyrese Gibson and Mike Colter, which will be released in the fall. In 2018, he directed “Traffik,” which starred Paula Patton and Omar Epps. His other credits include “Meet the Blacks 2: The House Next Door,” “Meet the Blacks,” “Supremacy” and “18 Night Tales.”