A new intense thriller starring Djimon Hounsou and Kodi Smit-McPhee in lead roles is coming our way soon. A few months after the project was first announced, Variety now reports that Zealot has wrapped production in Canada. WesEnd Films has been handling sales for the film and the London-based production company has released a first-look image at the thriller spotlighting its two main characters. Described as a claustrophobic thriller, Zealot stars Hounsou as Hassan and Smit-McPhee as Lloyd, with one the villain and the other the victim.
Per the official logline, “Zealot is a film about privilege, paranoia, and the assumptions we make about one another. The film follows Hassan, a Somali-American airport shuttle driver in Minneapolis, who is struggling to make ends meet. When Lloyd, a stranded twenty-something at the airport, offers to pay Hassan to take him overland to Chicago, it seems worth the risk. But as the realization grows that his passenger is not what he seems, Hassan finds he is trapped in a terrifying ride which he can’t escape from, knowing that to save himself might put countless others in danger.”
The solitary image doesn’t give much away, but it appears to show the moment when Hassan and Lloyd meet for the first time. Dressed in a maroon hoodie, Lloyd appears rather enigmatic as he knocks on Hassan’s shuttle, obviously to introduce himself and present his offer. Hassan is visibly suspicious of him, but as the synopsis reveals, he ultimately makes the bad call. The narrative will likely play out the options Hassan must explore to maneuver and possibly overcome the threat that Lloyd poses.
Who Is Behind ‘Zealot’?
Zealot is based on an award-winning play by Bennett Fisher, who also adapts the story for the screen. The film is directed by Vadim Perelman, best recognized for House of Sand and Fog and The Life Before Her Eyes. Bradley Gallo and Michael Helfant serve as executive producers under Amasia Entertainment. Producers include Jib Polhemus (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), along with Norman Golightly (Last Breath) representing Dark Castle who just hoped aboard the project. In a statement, Dark Castle Entertainment co-CEO Golightly teased Zealot‘s thriller elements, drawing comparisons with the 2004 neo-noir action thriller Collateral starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. He said:
“The collection of talent, both in front of and behind the camera, that has been drawn to this project speaks to the caliber of this relentless and timely thriller. Reminiscent of films like Collateral, audiences will be not only be on the edge of their seats, but they’ll have a lot to think about on their way home.”
No release date has been set for Zealot, but stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
via Collider