Oscar-winning writer-filmmaker Roger Avary (“Pulp Fiction”) has enlisted a roster of international actors for “Lucky Day,” the pulp action movie that will mark his directorial comeback.
Besides Crispin Glover (“American Gods”), Nina Dobrev (“Flatliners”), Luke Bracey (“Point Break”) and Michael Madsen (“The Hateful Eight”), who have already been announced, “Lucky Day” will also star Clé Bennett (“Jigsaw”), Nadia Fares (“Marseille”), David Hewlett (“The Shape of Water”), Tomer Sisley (“Largo Winch”) and Josie Ho (“Dream Home”).
“Lucky Day” is being produced by Samuel Hadida – with whom Avary collaborated on “Killing Zoe,” “Rules of Attractions” and “Silent Hill,” among other films – and Don Carmody. Hadida and Carmody together produced the “Resident Evil” and “Silent Hill” movies.
Penned by Avary, “Lucky Day” follows an ex-con on parole who sets off to reunite with his wife and daughter and gets hunted down by a psychopathic hit-man looking to avenge his dead brother. Avary told Variety that “Lucky Day” weaves together many of the the characters he has cultivated in his films into a single neo-noir, aggressive, violent, funny, irreverent, politically incorrect movie in the spirit of “True Romance” and “Pulp Fiction” (which he co-wrote and won an Oscar for in 1995).
The director also said the film was an homage to Tony Scott, the director of “True Romance” (1993). “Tony passed away, and with this film we take his spirit and go back to where we were in the 1990s,” Avary said.
Hadida said his friendship and collaboration with Avary went back to the making of “True Romance.” He had tapped Avary to collaborate with Tarantino on the writing of the movie’s ending. “Roger is such a talented writer and director,” Hadida said. “I called him up and said, ‘Stop producing TV shows, and let’s make a movie together!'”
Hadida, who with his brother Victor owns Metropolitan Filmexport, one of France’s top distribution outfits, said that “Lucky Day” would share the DNA of Avary and Scott’s cult movies, which mix action, comedy, meaty performances and an emotional component. As for the cast, Hadida said the idea was to have established or promising actors in every part, because they’ll each have their moment, just as in Avary’s previous pics.
“Every actor in the film is the hero of his own story and has a full arc,” Avary said. “It’s my job as a filmmaker to breathe life into all these characters.”
The movie started shooting last month in Toronto with a key crew including editor Sylvie Landra (“The Fifth Element”), Brendan Steacy (“Alias Grace”) and stunt coordinator Steve Lucescu (“Resident Evil”).
Avery’s recent credits include “XIII: the series” and “Beowulf,” which he exec produced.
