EXCLUSIVE: Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Jacob Tremblay (Sovereign), Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) and Annabelle Wallis (Mercy) have signed on to star in Unabom, a new thriller on domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski to be directed for Netflix and MRC by Janus Metz (Andor).
Inspired by true events, Unabom originated as a spec from Sam Chalsen & Nelson Greaves, the writers behind Radio Silence’s forthcoming Art Bell project, who have developed the film alongside 2.0 Entertainment (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, The Pope’s Exorcist) since its inception. Pic follows Kaczynski’s (Tremblay) transformation from Harvard prodigy into the infamous Unabomber, who carried out a nationwide bombing campaign in the U.S. from 1978 to 1995, killing 3 people and injuring 23.
Subjected to controversial psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray (Crowe), Kaczynski’s troubled past resurfaces decades later when his manhunt, led by FBI agent Joanne Miller (Woodley), brings to light the chilling consequences of ambition and isolation.
Sophie Cassidy will produce for 2.0 Entertainment, in association with MRC, which is the studio on the project. Don Lee, Chalsen, and Graves will exec produce.
Recently wrapping Walden Media’s Cold War thriller Billion Dollar Spy and the action thriller Bear Country, directed by Derrick Borte, Oscar winner Crowe will next be seen starring in Walden’s Nuremberg along with Rami Malek and Michael Shannon. He is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
Known for turns in films like Room, Wonder, Good Boys and Doctor Sleep, Tremblay can next be seen starring in Neon’s Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck from filmmaker Mike Flanagan, which opens in select theaters on June 6. Upcoming, he’ll also been seen starring opposite Nick Offerman in the crime drama Sovereign. He is repped by UTA, Play Management, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
Most recently starring in films like Ferrari and Dumb Money, as well as Starz’s Three Women, Woodley’s upcoming slate includes Potsy Ponciroli’s Motor City and the second season of Hulu’s Paradise, among other projects. She is repped by CAA and Range Media Partners.
Wallis has starred on shows like Star Trek: Discovery and Peaky Blinders, also appearing in films like Silent Night, Malignant, multiple entries in the Annabelle horror franchise spinning off The Conjuring, and more. Other upcoming projects include Amazon MGM’s sci-fi thriller Mercy opposite Chris Pratt, and Lionsgate/Sky’s action thriller Mutiny opposite Jason Statham. She is repped by United Agents, UTA, Untitled Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
The award-winning Danish filmmaker behind films like Borg vs. McEnroe and All the Old Knives, Metz directed and exec produced the acclaimed Amazon/Sky series ZeroZeroZero, and has also helmed episodes of Andor and True Detective. He is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment, and Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes LawCo.
Writers Greaves and Chalsen are currently co-writing a feature about paranormal DJ Art Bell for Radio Silence to direct, with Paul Giamatti starring. Recently selling Orion Pictures on a feature adaptation of his thriller short story Nanny Cam, with George Tillman Jr. coming aboard to direct, Greaves also worked on the Uni/Blumhouse horror film Unfriended. On the series side, he has worked on shows including Your Friends and Neighbors, See, Joe Pickett, Invasion, Magic Order, Deception, 24, and Sleepy Hollow. Greaves and Chalsen also penned Inspector Gadget for Disney and Rideback, while Chalsen was also an EP on The CW’s The Flash and previously worked on Sleepy Hollow.
The scribes are jointly represented by Kaplan/Perrone and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Greaves is also repped by CAA; Chalsen by WME.
