‘Old’ Star Nikki Amuka-Bird Boards Survival Thriller ‘Jericho Ridge’

BAFTA-nominated British actress Nikki Amuka-Bird, who starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2021 thriller Old and will soon be seen in Graham Moore’s The Outfit and Persuasion alongside Dakota Johnson, is set to lead siege survival thriller Jericho Ridge.

The film, which has now started principal photography in Prishtina, Kosovo, also stars Michael Socha (This is England, Papillon, Chernobyl), Zack Morris (The Fades, Eastenders), Chris Reilly (Wrath of Man, Devils) Philipp Christopher (Origin, The Liberator), rising star Solly McLeod (Boxing Day, Boy in the Corner) and singer-songwriter, Capital T.

Set in a remote, mountain town in North Washington state — a town ravaged by unemployment and drug addiction — Jericho Ridge tells the story of a lone-deputy, Tabby, and her crushing battle to survive and save her son from the clutches of a murderous drug cartel.

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“I loved this character from the moment I read the script,” said Amuka-Bird. “Tabby is a powerful and uncompromisingly honest woman – above all she is a mother willing to do whatever it takes to protect her son. It’s an honour to play this challenging, complex lead role and I’m so excited to start shooting alongside such a talented team.”

The film marks the directorial debut of Will Gilbey, the British screenwriter who co-created the Rise of the Footsoldier crime film franchise and whose editing on the Bros documentary After the Screaming Stops earned him a BAFTA TV award. Gilbey also wrote the script.

“I’ve been inspired by genre filmmakers my whole life,” said Gilbey. “I feel it’s where the true innovation happens in movies. The script for Jericho Ridge provides the opportunity to create something fresh and original. This will be a raw and fast-paced story told over only a few hours. I love an audience that loves genre, so I’m making Jericho Ridge for them.”

Produced by London-based DLNQNT’s Alex Tate (Hope Gap, Blood Orange, Skin Walker) and Harvey Ascott (Shok, Absent, Field of Blackbirds), Jericho Ridge is co-financed by Silver Lining Productions and DLNQNT. In Plain Sight Group’s Mark O’Sullivan (Absent, Dead of Winter, Mystics) and Richard Caleel are on board as executive producers and have been engaged to handle service production through their Kosovan office, with Besnik Krapi acting as co-producer. Jericho Ridge marks the first feature collaboration of Harvey Ascott and Besnik Krapi following their 2016 Oscar-nominated short, Shok.

Amuka-Bird is represented by Accelerate, Greene & Associates Talent Agency and Multitude Media.