Cannes 2012: Joel Edgerton to Write, Star in 'Felony'

CANNES – Australian actor Joel Edgerton will star in and write thriller Felony for The Solution Entertainment Group and Goalpost Pictures Australia.

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Matthew Saville (Noise) is aboard to direct the project, with The Solution founders and partners Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel arranging financing. Wilson will debut the film to foreign buyers at the Marche du Film in Cannes, which officially gets underway Thursday.

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Goalpost’s Rosemary Blight and Edgerton are producing Felony, about a decorated police officer who runs a young cyclist off the road when driving home from a celebration drink with his fellow officers following a gang bust. In a split-second decision, he lies about the accident, changing all their lives forever.

CAA is handling U.S. sales and introduced the project to The Solution. Saville will begin shooting in October, with Roadshow Films set to distribute Felony in Australia and New Zealand.

“Felony is a distinctive project with exceptional creative talent,” Blight said.

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Goalpost has a high profile at Cannes this year; on the eve of the festival and market, The Weinstein Co. snapped up domestic and other territory rights to Goalpost’s Sapphires, an official festival selection.

Edgerton stars in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming The Great Gatsby, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Isla Fisher. He rose to international acclaim with crime-thriller Animal Kingdom, and starred last year in Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior. He also co-wrote The Square with Matthew Dabner.