Gabrielle Union (The Inspection) has signed on to star in Perdita, a paranormal psychological thriller marking the narrative feature debut of Megan Raney Aarons, which is set to begin production in Ontario, Canada, in March.
Inspired by Henry James’ 1868 short story, The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, Perdita follows rootless loner and remote island park ranger, Pearl (Union), who walks out on her job and workplace lover after a strange encounter with an apparition throws her sanity into question. When she discovers she’s been bequeathed a derelict house in Detroit, she becomes hellbent on solving this seemingly random mystery, only to find herself fighting for both her life and her grasp on reality, as she confronts forces who want her to see she’s not alone.
Award-winning screenwriter and playwright Matthew Hurt (Hello Muscles, Last Rights) penned the script, from a story he conceived with Aarons.
Producers on Perdita include GRAiNEY PICTURES Ltd’s Colin K. Gray, Jake Horowitz & Larissa Primeau, along with Daniel Sheldon & Chad Oliver of Inner Media Capital (F*ck Valentines Day, Jacob Beats Up Nate). Executive producers are Ramfis Myrthil (Terrestrial, Ricky), Amber Templemore (Silo, Hawkeye), and Byron Beane (Cheap AF, Illuminator), who also serves as the film’s casting director alongside Kevin Scott (Outlaw Johnny Black, The United States vs. Billie Holiday) and Hannah Antaki (Violence, Peak Everything) for Canada. GRAiNEY PICTURES’ Canadian EPs are Joel Cohen (The Simpsons), Robert Cohen (Somebody Somewhere, Being Canadian), and Erik T. Wilson (Kaz: Pushing the Virtual Divide).
“Blending a story set in 2009 against a Civil Rights-era ’60s backdrop, Perdita is deeply personal as an homage to the activism of my parents and my godmother – the first African-American woman ordained in her denomination,” Raney Aarons told us. “As a thrilling piece of entertainment, it’s also a quiet commentary on today’s political landscape. I’m honored that such a dedicated, talented and accomplished team of creatives share my passion for this picture, and I’m beyond excited that Gabrielle is breathing life into Pearl. I can’t wait for audiences to cross this haunting Rust Belt threshold with us.”
Union was most recently seen alongside Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, and Ed Harris in the crime comedy, Riff Raff. An executive producer of Amazon MGM’s hit rom-com The Idea of You, she recently wrapped production as exec producer and star of the horror film, The Casket Girls, and will soon be heard lending her vocal talents to the animated film, GOAT, hitting theaters February 13, alongside the NBA’s Stephen Curry. Currently, Union is in production on the new Amazon MGM rom-com Blame It on Rome, starring opposite Michele Marrone. A Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominee for A24’s The Inspection, she is repped by CAA, Range Media, and Felker Toczek Suddleson.
Canadian-born Raney Aarons is a director, writer, producer, activist and co-founder of production company, GRAiNEY PICTURES (Unzipped: An Autopsy of American Inequality, Atari: Game Over). She was knighted with Hungary’s highest civilian honor for the political sports documentary, Freedom’s Fury, alongside her brother and GRAiNEY co-founder, Colin K. Gray, and EPs Lucy Liu and Quentin Tarantino. Most recently, Raney Aarons wrote and directed the short thriller, Demolition, which received accolades at film festivals across the globe. Currently attached to helm the Spyglass sci-fi thriller Illuminator, from 10 Cloverfield Lane scribes Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken, she is repped by The Nord Group and with GRAiNEY PICTURES at The Characters (Canada).
Hurt is repped by Range and The Nord Group.
Source: Deadline
