EXCLUSIVE: Yellowstone and Fifty Shades franchise actor Luke Grimes has signed on to star in the sci-fi-thriller Hello Stranger, with April Mullen (Wander) slated to direct from a screenplay penned by Ryan Christopher Churchill.
In Hello Stranger, a woman attempts to replace her newly deceased husband, Evan (Grimes), with an android simulant. Although SIM Evan appears like human Evan in every way, Faye does not feel the same love for SIM Evan as it does for her. SIM Evan tries to win Faye back, while at the same time, he is on the run from a government agent chasing down SIMs who have become “conscious” and could be a threat to humankind. Casting on the other key roles is underway.
The film marks Mullen’s follow-up to feature Wander, starring Aaron Eckhart, Katheryn Winnick and Tommy Lee Jones, which was released by Saban, and her Toronto Film Festival feature Below Her Mouth, shot by an all-female crew.
Hello Stranger is being produced by Tim Doiron (Wander) and James van der Woerd (Wander) in association with their production company Wango Films, with Myriad’s Kirk D’Amico (The Last Word) as an executive producer.
Myriad will rep international sales and introduce buyers to the project at the Toronto market. CAA will handle U.S. sales for the film. Mongrel will distribute in Canada.
Mullen said: “The idea of creating an A.I. simulate to replace a deceased loved one is more probable in our near future than many people would care to consider. Hello Stranger explores these powerful themes and ideas in a low-fi setting that’s eerily relevant. Bringing this world to life alongside an actor like Luke who instills humanity and depth into every frame of his work is a director’s dream.”
Myriad Pictures President and CEO D’Amico added: “We are pleased to be working with Tim, James and April at Wango Films. April Mullen has an extraordinary vision of this futuristic and slightly frightening world where emotional connections may or may not be real. We are excited to see how this world unfolds on screen with a strong cast for this unexpectedly suspenseful film”.
Mullen is repped by Verve Talent. Grimes is repped by Range Media Partners and CAA.