Rosamund Pike & Matthew Rhys Board ‘Hallow Road,’ XYZ Thriller From Babak Anvari

EXCLUSIVE: Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) and Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason) have entered production overseas on Hallow Road, a new psychological thriller, which Under the Shadow‘s Babak Anvari is directing from a script by William Gillies.

Commissioned and developed by London Film & TV, the film watches as two parents enter a race against time when they receive a distressing late-night phone call from their daughter after she caused a tragic car accident. Production is taking place in Ireland and Prague, with Lucan Toh of Two & Two Pictures producing alongside Ian Henry of London Film & TV and Richard Bolger of Hail Mary Pictures. XYZ Films and Screen Ireland are co-financing.

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XYZ and Anvari’s Two & Two come to the project after collaborating on the Anvari-helmed features Under the Shadow and I Came By, as well as the upcoming History of Evil, written and directed by Bo Mirhosseni. They’re also collaborating on Reckoner starring Christian Hendricks, under a partnership to produce films from first- and second-time genre filmmakers from underrepresented demographics. Hallow Road marks the first major feature from Henry’s London Film & TV, which since its 2018 founding, has built its reputation in unscripted, with projects such as the the dystopian doc Autonomous and How High, a documentary on Irish singer-songwriter, Mick Flannery.

In a statement to Deadline, Anvari said, “I treasure the opportunity to collaborate with Rosamund and Matthew, two hugely talented actors who I’ve long admired, on Hallow Road. I believe we can create something emotionally intense, and charged with uncanny terror, that nevertheless taps into something relatable to all families. I can’t wait to bring Will’s wonderful script to life with this brilliant team.”

Added producer Ian Henry, “We are overjoyed to have the opportunity to work with Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys, a prestige cast that will elevate this intense drama to new heights, alongside the visionary director, Babak Anvari. XYZ and Two & Two Pictures are building a strong portfolio of films together and we are delighted to partner with them for this psychological thriller from Will Gillies, an exciting new screenwriting voice.”

Pike will next be seen in theaters in Saltburn, the sophomore feature from Promising Young Woman Oscar winner Emerald Fennell, which boasts one of her most memorable performances yet as Elsbeth, the inadvertently hilarious matriarch of an aristocratic family, who has struggled her whole life with “a complete and utter fear of ugliness.” Led by Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, the film hits limited theaters November 17th before going wide on the 22nd. The Gone Girl Oscar nom also currently stars in Amazon’s epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Other notable recent film credits include I Care a Lot, A Private War, and Radioactive.

Most recently topping HBO’s Perry Mason, Rhys also famously led FX’s The Americans, scoring an Emmy and numerous other accolades for his turn opposite Keri Russell in the spy drama. Recent film credits for Rhys include Elizabeth Banks’ outlandish box office hit Cocaine Bear for Universal and Mr. Rogers drama A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, helmed for Sony by Marielle Heller.

Anvari is best known for helming the Sundance horror hit Under the Shadow, which was named the UK’s selection for the Foreign Language Oscar and won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut in 2017. Other films from the director include Wounds and I Came By.

Other forthcoming projects for London Film & TV include T’Kallem, addressing issues of racism and migration in Tunisia, as well as Chasing the Lion, a feature doc following a pioneering African free solo climber.

In addition to History of Evil, upcoming projects from Two & Two include Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s Cannes-premiering paramedic thriller Black Flies, starring Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn, and Max & Sam Eggers’ The Front Room for A24.

Anvari is repped by Ziffren Brittenham, Grandview, Independent Talent and WME; Pike by CAA, United Agents, and Magnolia Entertainment; Rhys by CAA, United Agents, and Anonymous Content; and Gillies by Casarotto Ramsay & Associates and Kaplan/Perrone.

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