Harvey Keitel & Olga Kurylenko To Topline Action-Thriller ‘Paradox Effect’

Matt Grobar
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Harvey Keitel (The Irishman) and Olga Kurylenko (Black Widow) have signed on to star in Paradox Effect — an action-thriller to be directed by Scott Weintrob (Home) for Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment, which is going into production in Italy in January.

In the film written by Samuel Bartlett, Andrea Iervolino and Ferdinando Dell’Omo, an innocent woman (Kurylenko) is forced to confront a dangerous kingpin (Keitel) who has kidnapped her young daughter and is holding her for ransom. She teams up with a corrupt Interpol agent, whose son is also being held hostage, to rip off various criminals to raise the ransom to save their offspring. Together they have one hour to save their families from the wrath of Keitel’s character.

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Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment is producing with Richard Salvatore, Bret Saxon, Jeff Bowler and Danielle Maloni. Exec producers are Luca Matrundola, David Ornston and Nate Adams. Red Sea Media is handling international sales.

“It’s thrilling in and of itself just to bring Harvey and Olga together and have them play off each other in this intense thriller that pulls no punches,” said Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment’s CEO, Iervolino.

“As ILBE’s newly tapped head of production, I am excited that this is our first film of our 2023 eight picture slate,” stated Salvatore. “Working with a legend like Harvey for a third time is amazing.”

Added Red Sea’s Roman Kopelevich: “We’re so excited to be working with Scott and the talented Olga and of course Harvey and the team at Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment, including Rich Salvatore. This is going to be an exciting action ride that appeals to audiences across the globe.”

Keitel is an Oscar and Golden Globe nominee who has recently featured in such films as Lansky, The Irishman, The Painted Bird and Isle of Dogs, as well as the series Mike and National Treasure: Edge of History.

Kurylenko is a Ukrainian-born actress known for her work in films including Black Widow, The Death of Stalin, Oblivion, Seven Psychopaths, To the Wonder, Quantum of Solace, Hitman and Paris, je t’aime. She’s also been seen in Starz’s series Magic City and will next appear in Marvel’s Thunderbolts, among many other projects.

Weintrob is an Emmy-nominated director and producer whose credits include Apple TV+’s Home, Netflix’s Fastest Car and Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty for Prime Video.

Other upcoming projects for ILBE, the publicly held studio run by Iervolino and Monika Bacardi, include Michael Mann’s Ferrari, starring Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey and Jack O’Connell.

Weintrob is repped by WME and The Nord Group; Kurylenko by UTA, the UK’s Independent Talent Group and France’s Agence Adequat; and Keitel by The Artists Partnership in the UK and Untitled Entertainment.

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