The Big Short scribe Charles Randolph and Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt are joining forces.
Gaumont and Ivanhoe Pictures are set to co-produce a sci-fi thriller from the pair, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Titled Red Rush, the drama is set in the 22nd century, where Mars is the new Wild West, luring those in search of wealth and freedom to its inhospitable surface. A brilliant scientist studying Earth from afar, an outlaw miner hoarding a vast but illegal fortune, a ruthless intelligence operative with cameras and spies everywhere — all will be drawn into a plot that will shake the powers that be on the Red Planet, and beyond.
Randolph, who won an Oscar for writing The Big Short screenplay with Adam McKay, developed the concept and will pen the scripts. Wyatt is attached to direct.
“I’ve been obsessing over this story for years, so I’m happy to have in Rupert a director who can paint big worlds with a fine brush — and to have in Gaumont and Ivanhoe partners with fearless international perspectives,” said Randolph.
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Red Rush will join the Netflix cartel drama Narcos and the streamer’s animated comedy F Is for Family if picked up to series. (The French-based Gaumont also recently signed Mission: Impossible 5 filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie and his wife, Heather, to an overall TV deal.)
“Charles has developed a vivid, distinct and thought-provoking concept, imagining a future where life is split across two planets and how this affects our very ability to relate to one another,” Gaumont’s U.S. television president Gene Stein said. “We have terrific co-production partners with John and his team at Ivanhoe Pictures, and we’re thrilled to be working with Charles and Rupert.”
This would mark one of the first forays into TV for Ivanhoe Pictures, an SK Global company which merged with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment in March. Ivanhoe is currently producing the highly anticipated film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians.
“We have immense respect for Gene and his team at Gaumont. They are the perfect partners to bring Charles’ innovative and imaginative story to life,” added Ivanhoe Pictures CEO John Penotti. “Rupert provides the creative and visual punch to successfully deliver a truly groundbreaking series.”
Randolph is also working on a present-day civil war drama series for Amazon as well as two film scripts with prolific producer Megan Ellison. One, Gucci, centers on the family behind the famed fashion label, and the other focuses on former Fox News head Roger Ailes‘ sexual-harassment scandal that led to his shocking ouster. Randolph is repped by CAA, Lighthouse Management & Media and Loeb & Loeb.
Wyatt also directed and exec produced Fox’s The Exorcist in addition to co-writing and directing the upcoming Vera Farmiga thriller Captive State. He is repped by UTA and Gang Tyre.
