EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner and Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson (Room) is set to star in creature horror film Fail-Safe, with J.J. Abrams producing and FilmNation, WME and CAA launching the hot project at the Cannes market.
JT Mollner (Strange Darling) is set to direct the movie, which is described as “a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.”
Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You), who is currently directing Whalefall for 20th Century and Imagine, wrote the screenplay based on a short story by Philip Fracassi.
Lost creator and Star Wars and Star Trek director Abrams said: “With Fail-Safe, Brian Duffield has written an absolute powerhouse of a script. It’s a horror film that is as sweet and moving as it is terrifying. To have JT Mollner in the director’s chair — his Strange Darling blew me away — is a dream come true. Finally, having the limitlessly talented Brie Larson as our star sets up Fail-Safe to be that rare horror film that makes you laugh, feel, and care, before taking you on an absolutely wild ride.”
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The movie heralds from FilmNation Entertainment’s production label Infrared, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, and Assemble Media. Drew Simon, J.J. Abrams and Jon Cohen, and Jack Heller are producers. Assemble’s Caitlin de Lisser-Ellen and Brian Duffield are executive-producing, as is Larson.
Infrared is financing. Arrival, Conclave and Anora outfit FilmNation is handling international sales and will co-rep domestic rights with CAA Media Finance and WME Independent.
“I’m beyond excited to see Brie take on this role – it’s frightening, emotionally charged, and so different from anything she’s done before,” said producer Drew Simon, Infrared President of Production.
“The depth and intensity this character demands is immense, and I know Brie’s going to bring something unforgettable to the screen.”
Larson won the Oscar for 2016 movie Room. Past credits include the titular role in Captain Marvel which broke box office records, and its sequel, The Marvels, in addition to Fast X, Kong: Skull Island, and Short Term 12. In 2023, she executive-produced and starred in Apple TV+’s Lessons in Chemistry, earning Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, and Golden Globe nominations.
Infrared’s first feature Novocaine, a thriller directed by Robert Olsen and Dan Berk and starring Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder, was released by Paramount in March. Mollner’s 2023 horror-thriller Strange Darling amassed a cult following and some strong critical notices.
Larson is repped by WME and Sloan Offer. Mollner is repped by UTA, World Builder Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen. Duffield is repped by UTA, Circle Management, and Behr Abramson.
