AGC Studios has boarded psychological thriller Sweat in a deal that will see it finance, co-produce and handle international sales on the production, based on Swedish Polish director Magnus von Horn’s Cannes-selected film of the same name.
Ana de Armas has signed to star as rising fitness influencer Emma Kent who dreams of matching the success of her idol, social media superstar Kat Highbrook.
Her carefully curated world begins to collapse when an encounter with Kat goes horribly wrong, and she is forced into a dangerous arrangement with Trent, an obsessive fan. His unhinged devotion pushes her to choose how far she’s willing to go for fame.
UK director, screenwriter and producer J Blakeson, whose past credits include Hulu-Disney+ series Culprits, Netflix hit I Care A Lot, The 5th Wave and neo-noir debut The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, will direct.
Guy Stodel is producing under the Rosto Inc. banner, alongside Blakeson via his Crimple Beck production company, and AGC Chairman and CEO Ford.
The picture will begin production on March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles and the UK and will be distributed internationally by AGC International which will roll out the project at the European Film Market next month. WME Independent, CAA Media Finance and AGC are co-repping U.S. rights. Additional casting is underway.
Von Horn’s original film was selected for the 2020 edition of Cannes Film Festival which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It enjoyed a buzzy international career nonetheless with Mubi snapping up rights for the U.S. Latin America, India and Turkey.
Cuban-born, Blonde Oscar-nominated actress Ana de Armas is a coming off a high-profile 2025 which saw her hit the big screen in John Wick spin-off Ballerina and Ron Howard’s Eden.
De Armas is repped by WME, Kuranda Management, Bailey Brand Management, Wolf Kasteler Public Relations and Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks; Blakeson is repped by WME, David Higham Associates and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.
The deal was negotiated by Christopher Tricarico of Tricarico Chavez LLP for ROSTO Inc. and by Anant Tamirisa on behalf of AGC.