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Sam Worthington EFM project; Leonine Buys ‘Asterix & Obelix: The Silk Road’; Ron Howard’s Imagine Launches Australia Initiative – Global Briefs

Tom Grater
·2-min read

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Sam Worthington will lead the cast of CounterPlay, which Blue Fox Entertainment is launching at EFM. Project comes from the newly established MAM Media in association with BlackOps Studios Asia. Shoot will take place in the Philippines. Worthington will play a retired hostage negotiator who comes out of retirement to take on one last job. Also starring will be Alex Diaz. Pedring Lopez is directing, his credits include action pic Maria which was bought by Netflix.

Emerging European powerhouse Leonine has bought rights for Germany and Austria on Asterix & Obelix: The Silk Road, the upcoming fifth live action film from the beloved children’s franchise. Philippe Mechelen and Julien Hervé wrote the screenplay, and Guillaume Canet is directing and also playing the role of Asterix. Gilles Lellouche is attached to star as his companion Obelix. Project is produced by Trésor Films, Pathé Films and Les Enfants Terribles. Leonine struck the deal with rights holder Pathé Films.

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Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Tyler Mitchell’s Imagine Impact is partnering with Gentle Giant Media Group and Screen Australia to expand into Australia. The start-up, which is part of Imagine Entertainment, is an accelerator program that connects screenwriters and their projects with studios and agents. To date, it says it has 44 developed projects and 22 sold with major attachments to Netflix, Amblin and Village Roadshow. The Australian incarnation is the first time the program will run outside of the US, having had three iterations to date. Based in Melbourne, Impact Australia is supported by principal partner Film Victoria, with regional funding.

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