EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins is set to star in 2048, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film from director Timothy Woodward Jr.
Hopkins and Woodward Jr recently teamed up on sci-fi-horror film Eyes In The Trees, which is in post-production.
Set in a future “where a dying planet has forced the last remnants of humanity underground, 2048 unfolds inside a vast subterranean society controlled by the Collective, an authoritarian regime that governs nearly every aspect of life and has erased all memory of the world above. The story follows Wesley, an ordinary worker whose life is upended when he becomes entangled with a hidden resistance questioning everything the Collective has taught them. As Wesley begins searching for the truth, he draws the attention of Bryant, played by Hopkins, the brilliant and ruthless architect of the Collective, who maintains his grip over society through surveillance, manipulation and psychological terror.”
Hopkins said of the project: “Having recently been directed by Tim Woodward Jr, I thought it would be interesting to find another script to film. There were a number of suggestions and ideas briefly talked about, and then, suddenly, the screenplay 2048 emerged from those conversations. The story is complex and fascinating: it taps into the mysterious contradictions that are hidden within human nature, our capacity for both extraordinary creative achievement and compassion, and the terrible mystery of cruelty. Bryant is an equally complex character, intelligent, restrained and frightening in the absolute conviction with which he views the world. I am so looking forward to working with Timothy again and to bring this story to life.”
The film will be produced by Natalie Burn through Born To Burn Films (Foster) and Volodymyr Artemenko through Eastern Film Investment, whose portfolio includes the action thriller Shelter, directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Jason Statham, as well as Guy Ritchie’s Wife and Dog, starring Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike and James Norton. The screenplay was written by Sean Ryan.
Additional casting is underway, with production planned for Los Angeles.
Top Film Distribution Corporation is handling worldwide sales at this week’s TIFF market. The company, which invested in David Ayer’s A Working Man, starring Statham, is also currently handling sales on the 1980s-set neo-noir action film Foster, starring James Franco, Ron Perlman and Burn, which was also directed by Woodward, and Ice Fall, starring Joel Kinnaman.
“Working with Anthony again is a dream come true,” added Woodward. “He is truly one of the greatest actors of our time. He brings such depth, intelligence and quiet intensity to every role, which makes him perfect for Bryant. At its core, 2048 is a story about freedom, control and one man’s fight to discover the truth.”
“2048 is one of the most ambitious films I have ever had the opportunity to work on,” commented Burn. “An epic sci-fi story set in a post-apocalyptic world is a real treat for audiences, but the film also has a depth and a message that I believe is extremely important for modern society to hear.”
Hopkins is repped by UTA, Independent Talent Group and Goodman, Genow. Woodward is repped by Zero Gravity Management.
