New Republic Pictures Inks First-Look Deal With Filmmaker Francis Lawrence

EXCLUSIVE: Hunger Games franchise director Francis Lawrence and his about: blank production company have signed a first-look feature pic deal with New Republic Pictures. about:blank is run by Lawrence and producer Cameron MacConomy.

“We are thrilled to be aligning with Brian, Brad and New Republic Pictures. They have proven themselves to be champions of filmmakers and willing to make bold bets. We couldn’t ask for better partners and look forward to creating great projects with them,” said Lawrence and MacConomy.

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“We could not be more excited to begin this partnership with Francis, Cam and about:blank. At New Republic, we align ourselves with ambitious storytellers who aspire to create transportive and groundbreaking content, and that is what they do best. In addition to being huge fans of Francis’, he is also a longtime friend, and we look forward to starting this next chapter together,” said New Republic president Bradley Fischer and founder Brian Oliver.

Lawrence is currently directing Slumberland, based on the comic strip Little Nemo’s Adventures in Slumberland, starring Jason Momoa, Marlow Barkley, Chris O’Dowd, Kyle Chandler, Weruche Opia and India De Beaufort for Netflix. He most recently directed the first three episodes of the Apple TV+ series See, on which he serves as EP and developed with Steven Knight. The show stars Momoa and Alfre Woodard and is set in the far future where a virus has decimated humankind and those who survived emerged blind.

In 2018 Lawrence directed the Russian spy thriller Red Sparrow reteaming with Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence; he directed three out of the four Hunger Games movies (Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2) with his work on the series grossing more than $2.2 billion worldwide. He is currently set to helm the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Lawrence’s additional feature directing credits include Constantine and I Am Legend, as well as TV episodes for Kings and Touch, and music videos for artists including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson.

Lawrence’s deal marks the third overall for New Republic in the last six months, joining Cate Blanchett’s Dirty Films and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories. The company just announced their first project with Dirty Films, Queen Bitch & The High Horse, set to be directed by Bert and Bertie and written by Eric Matthew Brown. New Republic is also producing Top Gun: Maverick, Mission: Impossible 7 and also recently released Coming 2 America through their multi-picture co-financing deal with Paramount. NRP just wrapped principal photography on the LA-set Michael Bay action thriller Ambulance starring Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Matteen II and Eiza González.

Lawrence is repped by CAA, 3 Arts and Hansen, Jacobson.

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