Jamie Bell Joins Cillian Murphy & Thandie Newton In Virus Thriller 'Retreat'

When “Retreat” was first announced way back in February, we have to admit we weren’t that interested. Steven Soderbergh had recently announced his 3D “Contagion” (a project he wanted to get together quickly because of other similarly themed and competing films in development) and really, that was the only virus movie we needed.

However, since then the cast has firmed up and definitely sparked our interest. A couple of weeks ago Cillian Murphy joined the project replacing Jason Isaccs, and now Deadline reports that Jamie Bell has been cast as well. The actors join Thandie Newton, who has been attached to the film from the start. Suddenly, this little thriller has a pretty solid cast.

The film follows a “husband and wife (Murphy and Newton) who rent a remote island cottage while trying to repair their marriage. One day they find a biohazard-suited soldier washed up on the beach, who warns them that everybody on the mainland has been killed by an airborne virus. That’s when the psychological fun-and-games begin…” David Tennant was previously linked for the role of the soldier, but his name seems to have disappeared and we would guess that Bell is going to fill that role quite nicely.

Carl Tibbets will be making his writing/directing debut with the film that has been described as a cross between “Dead Calm” and “Knife In The Water.” Filming begins in September.