Rise, a sci-fi short film directed by David Karlak, will be adapted into a feature produced by Filmula’s Johnny Lin and Cross Creek’s Brian Oliver.
The producers picked up the feature film rights from Warner Bros. Karlak’s short is about a dystopian future where man’s attempt to create artificial intelligence has spun wildly out of control, leading to a war between man and machine. Anton Yelchin starred in the short, which was based on a screenplay Karlak penned with writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton (the Saw series).
Karlak will direct the feature adaptation as well.
Lin, who is an executive producer on the upcoming Tom Cruise-starrer American Made, and Oliver, who produced Hacksaw Ridge and Black Swan, among others, will fully finance and produce the film, and are planning Rise as a driver for a film franchise. Roy Lee at Vertigo also is producing with Trevor Engelson of Underground.
“Brian and I are extremely excited to have an opportunity to build a film franchise based on David Karlak’s wildly popular short,” said Lin. “I hope this is the start to a long-lasting financing and producing relationship.”
Karlak, who is repped by Underground and Bloom Hergott, previously sold a pitch to Fox called Outliers. Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan are writing the supernatural action pic, with Karlak attached to direct.
Watch the short film here.
