Sartaj Singh
Russell Crowe’s latest film is heading to his homeland for production! Helmed by Tyler Atkins, ‘The Beast in Me’ will start its principal photography in Australia in October 2024. The MMA action drama is penned by David Frigerio, who is reuniting with Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson after ‘Land of Bad.’ The cast also includes Ricky Whittle and Mojean Aria. Storm Alley Entertainment, Broken Open Pictures, Armagh, and Eclectik Vision are producing the film.
The movie is not to be confused with Netflix’s upcoming limited series ‘The Beast in Me,’ starring Claire Danes. Initially titled ‘A Taste for Blood,’ the plot follows a down-on-his-luck former fighter (MacPherson) who deals with a personal tragedy. He is taken on by a veteran trainer (Crowe) who prepares him for a dangerous Mixed Martial Arts match against a ferocious opponent. The fight is more than just a sporting event for the returning brawler, as it represents a chance for him to avenge his past.
“A real focus here is to make something with the explosive energy and high production values that the story demands,” producer Shane Abbess told Screen Daily about the project. “We all came together with the core focus of exploring combat both inside and out of the octagon and, most importantly, the characters,” he added.
Crowe is a beloved actor who has recently been taking on a diverse array of roles like Anthony Miller in ‘The Exorcism,’ Roy Freeman in ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ Reaper in ‘Land of Bad,’ and Father Gabriel Amorth in ‘The Pope’s Exorcist.’ He continues to feature as the star attraction of relatively smaller projects, along with major upcoming releases such as J.C. Chandor’s ‘Kraven the Hunter,’ the biographical drama ‘Rothko,’ and the WWII thriller ‘Nuremberg.’
MacPherson is a seasoned Australian actor who began his career with the role of Joel Samuels, written specifically for him in the long-running Australian TV show ‘Neighbours.’ He starred alongside Crowe in ‘Poker Face’ as Sam McIntyre and ‘Land of Bad’ as Colonel Duz Packett. He can also be seen in the Apple TV+ science fiction show ‘Foundation’ as Hugo.
‘The Beast in Me’ is Sikh filmmaker Tyler Atkins’ sophomore directorial effort after ‘Ocean Boy,’ a crime drama about a father taking his son along as he goes on the run with his surf gang for drug dealing. Writer, director, and producer David Frigerio began his career in entertainment by writing plays in New York City. He most recently penned the scripts for ‘Land of Bad,’ ‘Crypto,’ and ‘The Signal.’
Australia has emerged as a burgeoning filmmaking hub over the past decade. It boasts an increasingly supportive filming infrastructure with natural landscapes that can be used as a variety of backdrops. For example, its forests stand in for the southern Philippines’ jungles in ‘Land of Bad.’ Other action films shot here include the Daniel Radcliffe-starrer ‘Jungle,’ ‘Spiderhead,’ and ‘San Andreas.’
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