Cate Blanchett to Produce Embezzlement Drama ‘Queen Bitch and the High Horse’
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Cate Blanchett has signed on to produce “Queen Bitch and the High Horse,” a film inspired by the largest municipal fraud in American history.
Blanchett, through her company Dirty Films, is producing alongside Coco Francini and Andrew Upton, as well as Brian Oliver and Bradley Fischer of New Republic Pictures.
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Bert and Bertie, the duo behind “Troop Zero,” will direct the film from a screenplay by Eric Matthew Brown.
“Queen Bitch and the High Horse” is described as a “cautionary tale,” one that centers on town sweetheart turned corrupt public servant Penny Banks. Banks, an ambitious, larger-than-life woman whose passion for civic duty rivals that of her love for horses, rises the ranks of city hall and turns the town into her personal piggy bank. She goes on to embezzle millions to fund a show horse empire that would take her from the podunk rodeo circuit all the way to the winner’s circle in Kentucky.
“We are beyond excited to bring this gorgeously penned, compelling, funny and fiendish film to screen with such a brilliant team. Queen Bitches, you’re going to love it,” said Bert and Bertie.
This is the first film acquired under Dirty Films’ first-look deal with New Republic.
“We are thrilled to bring this fantastic script to life with our partners at New Republic Pictures and the formidable directing team of Bert and Bertie, who will bring their signature playful and bold vision to this timely, resonant film about what happens when citizens deify their leaders, and the leaders forget who they serve,” said Blanchett, Francini and Upton.
New Republic Pictures, which has a co-financing deal with Paramount, is currently producing numerous titles including “Mission: Impossible 7,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Tomorrow War” and “Coming 2 America.”
Dirty Films, an independent film and television production company, most recently executive produced Christos Nikou’s “Apples” and produced the Hulu miniseries “Mrs. America.”
Dirty Films is repped by CAA. Bert and Bertie are repped by Verve and the Nord Group. Brown is repped by Verve, Lighthouse Entertainment and Jacob Shapira at Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof + Fishman. Verve negotiated the deal on behalf of Bert and Bertie and Brown.
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