Dev Patel to Make Directorial Debut and Star in Monkey Man
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Dev Patel, of Slumdog Millionaire and Lion fame, is set to direct and star in the action revenge film Monkey Man, per THR.
At the intersection between age-old mythology and modern Mumbai, Monkey Man tells the tale of ex-convict Kid (Patel), who emerges from prison to a world without values and inundated with corporate greed.
Patel penned the film’s script alongside Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Hotel Mumbai, Happy Feet).
“Monkey Man is a vibrant, thrilling and above all entertaining story,” said producer Basil Iwanyk in a statement. “We are excited to be teaming up with Dev, who has great creative instincts making him a natural director.”
The film will be introduced to buyers at this week’s American Film Market (AFM) by Endeavor Content, which will handle the film’s worldwide sales. AFM will take place in Santa Monica from Wednesday, Oct. 31, until Wednesday, Nov. 7.
“Monkey Man is filled with vivid characters and thrilling action scenes and Dev’s precise vision of a stylized and highly energetic genre film will appeal to audiences around the world,” said Alex Walton, EVP, International Film Sales and Distribution at Endeavor Content.
Production on the film is set to start in Mumbai in the spring of 2019.
Patel won a BAFTA for 2016’s Lion, and scored both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. He recently completed filming The Personal History of David Copperfield, starring Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie, and will next be seen in Hotel Mumbai and The Wedding Guest, both set for release in 2019.