To say Garth Davis has experienced an interesting filmmaking career is an understatement. After breaking out in a big way with his Oscar-nominated feature, “Lion,” he experienced some issues finding release for his follow-up, “Mary Magdelene.” And then, after the film finally was released, the filmmaker surprisingly landed the coveted gig as director of “Tron 3.” But before he jumps over to Disney, he is set to tackle a sci-fi drama, “Foe,” which features a pretty stacked cast.
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According to Deadline, Davis is set to direct “Foe,” which is based on the novel of the same name from author Iain Reid. Both men are said to have contributed to the adaptation of the book, which tells the story of a married couple in the near future that finds their idyllic farm life rocked when they’re told the husband has been chosen to travel to a space station orbiting Earth. The film is said to star Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, and Lakeith Stanfield.
“I’ve been on the hunt to do something in sci-fi, it was always on my bucket list, and also to find material I could make an actor’s piece with a Cassavetian level of performance,” Davis said. “I read ‘Foe’ and could not put it down. It’s incredibly suspenseful, very moving and dealt with sci-fi in a most grounded way that spoke to where we are heading as a society, with a lot of the questions we all have, explored in a profound way. And the love story just broke my heart, this story of self-determination, fighting for the things that are most precious in our lives, and reminding audiences that this time we have here is precious and the way we treat each other is the way we need to be treating the planet. ‘Foe’ was just a bull’s-eye, for me.”
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He added, “The point of the movie is that corporate power and environmental decay is literally eating away at the natural world, not just the environment but from a human point of view, it’s eating away at society and taking away why we’re meant to be here and what connects us. We’re losing our self-determination and vibrancy. What I love about Saoirse is, you see her on screen and she is just so unfiltered and alive. She represents to me all the things we need to protect in the world. Putting her in the belly of this suspenseful and uneasy story is the whole point. What she represents is precious, she’s an empath. She fights for the things we all should be fighting for. I was looking for an actress who just had those qualities, and that beauty.”
Ronan is a four-time Oscar-nominated actress in films like “Lady Bird,” “Little Women,” “Brooklyn,” and “Atonement.” Her most recent feature is last year’s “Ammonite,” and she is a star in the upcoming Wes Anderson film, “The French Dispatch.” Mescal is best known for his recent role in the massive Hulu hit series, “Normal People.” And Stanfield is one of the best actors working today, having appeared in projects such as “Atlanta,” “Uncut Gems,” “Knives Out,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
With filming expected to begin in early 2022, there’s a chance the film could be ready by the end of the year, which would make it a strong contender for a late-season festival debut.