Though the film doesn’t bow till April, Blumhouse is looking to reunite with the team behind the Sundance darling “Sleight” for a new horror thriller and tapped one of Hollywood’s rising talents to star.
Blumhouse Productions has set “Dope’s” Kiersey Clemons to star in “Sweetheart,” the latest pic from “Sleight” director JD Dillard.
Dillard co-wrote the script with his “Sleight” writing partner Alex Theurer as well Alex Hyner. Dillard, Theurer, and Hyner will all produce along with Jason Blum and Bill Karesh.
As with all Blum pics, the logline is being kept under lock and key only to be described as a survival-horror pic.
Blumhouse has made a point of sticking with talent it has had good experiences with in the past, whether it be “The Purge” director James Demonaco or most recently “Split” helmer M. Night Shyamalan. The same can be said for the team behind “Sleight.”
Dillard and Theurer wrote and produced “Sleight” with Hyner on board in a supporting role. The film — described as “Iron Man” meets “The Prestige” — made a splash at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, leading to WWE Pictures and Blumhouse quickly partnering up to acquire the pic.
Blum got wind of the group’s next project and didn’t waste anytime acquiring rights to “Sweetheart,” putting the film on the fast track to a Spring 2017 start date.
As for Clemons, the talented actress has rose the ranks of young female leading ladies following her break-out role in “Dope.” She followed that up with a supporting role in “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” and eventually landed the role of Iris West in Warner Bros. “The Flash.”
With “The Flash” pushing production while it looks for a director, Clemons and her team had been looking for a good film to fit in before then and landed on this project.
Clemons has a handful of films bowing in 2017, including the “Flatliners” remake at Sony and Marc Webb’s “The Only Living Boy in New York.” She is repped by UTA, MJMG, and Mach 1 Management.
Dillard and Theurer are repped by CAA and Circle of Confusion.
Blumhouse most recent film M. Night Shyamalan’s “Split” has grossed nearly $100 million domestic. It’s upcoming film is Jordan Peele’s thriller “Get Out.”
