‘The Worst’: Keira Knightley, Alicia Vikander, Jamie Dornan & Erin Kellyman Topline France-Set Dark Comedy From Simon Woods

Actor/playwright Simon Woods‘ feature directorial debut, “The Worst,” is assembling quite the impressive main cast ahead of the film going to the European Film Market in Berlin this month (coinciding alongside the Berlin International Film Festival).

The casting report from Variety revealed that “The Worst” has enlisted talent such as Keira Knightley (“Black Doves”), Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander (“The Green Knight,” “Jason Bourne,” “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”), Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”), and Erin Kellyman (“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”) as the group of actors hired for Woods’ dark comedy, which takes place in a French chateu. Woods also wrote the script alongside those directing duties.

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A plot/character description mentioned by the outlet:

The film centers on socialite Emily Fisher (Vikander) and her husband Max as they invite their equally wealthy friends to their new chateau in France for the night. Among the guests are a group of people who really can’t stand each other: Holly (Knightley), a struggling diversity consultant who continuously clashes with everyone until she gets a migraine, and Danny (Dornan), a quick-witted talent agent who name-drops his client list every chance he gets. As the evening begins to unravel and dark secrets are revealed, waitress Niamh (Kellyman) finds herself right in the middle of their chaos.

“I want audiences to have a great time watching ‘The Worst,’ to be drawn in by these vivid, over-the-top comic characters, their messy, uncomfortable relationships, and the squirm of it all. I want to dare the audience to like these people, bringing them right up to the line of almost agreeing with them, and in doing so hold a satirical mirror up to the moment we’re living in,” Woods said in an official statement. “We’re building a film full of twists and turns, and there’s no better dream ensemble than this one to deliver every unexpected beat.”

Protagonist Pictures and Logical Pictures International are launching worldwide sales for the tantalizing pic, as Logical Pictures Group will finance, and the group’s newly announced sales venture LPI will co-rep sales alongside Protagonist. Meanwhile, UTA Independent Film Group will co-handle domestic rights for “The Worst.” Also, the film’s producing team includes Andy Berg and John Sachs of Eclipse Films, alongside Josh Hyams of Promise Pictures. Frédéric Fiore, Ryan Wickers, and Andrei Kamarowsky serve as executive producers for LPG, alongside Dave Bishop, James Pugh, and George Hamilton for Protagonist.

While Dornan isn’t exactly known for his comedic chops, the Irish actor had a bit of a breakout moment in the absurdist comedy “Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar,” starring the comedic duo of Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.

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This is one of those hot-package EFM projects that jumps out because of the cast put together and the film’s premise. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that “The Worst” ends up securing the resources and backing they need.