Indian origin filmmaker Manoj Night Shyamalan has finally cast hugely bankable Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg in his apocalyptic eco-thriller The Happening.
NEW YORK: Indian origin filmmaker Manoj Night Shyamalan has finally cast hugely bankable Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg in his apocalyptic eco-thriller The Happening.
Variety magazine reported on Thursday that when Shyamalan cut a deal with 20th Century Fox, he’d already been making inroads to get Wahlberg aboard the dark film about a natural calamity that threatens to wipe out humanity.
“Mark has a unique blend of charisma, humanity, authenticity and skillfulness as an actor,” Shyamalan said, “all of which coalesced at this moment in his career, making him the perfect person to take on the role of Eliot Moore, the science teacher at the centre of this event.”
DNA Money had earlier reported that the movie, written by Shyamalan, is being co-produced by 20th Century Fox and Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures, which will equally share the $57 million budget and revenue earnings. The film will be distributed in India by UTV.
Wahlberg has just opened impressively in Shooter and has been on a roll since Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed thriller, The Departed in 2006 netted him an Oscar nomination. In Shyamalan’s film, the chiselled and brooding actor will play a man who takes his family on the run when a deadly natural disaster threatens to end the world.
The 37-year-old Indian director will start filming in August in Philadelphia and the The Happening is scheduled for a worldwide release on Friday, June 13, 2008.
“Friday the 13th has very distinctive, global connotations, which make it the ideal launching pad for this frightening thriller,” Bruce Snyder, 20th Century Fox domestic distribution president, said in a statement.
Shyamalan was only 29 when his 600-million-dollar smash debut film Sixth Sense catapulted him to Hollywood’s big league. Since then times have been tougher with critics mauling his last two films. His last film, Lady in the Water received an unwanted prize at The Razzies for worst director. The master of modern day suspense will now be banking on his new eco thriller starring Wahlberg to restore his box office reputation.
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