30WEST to Finance; Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment, Imperative Entertainment and Nine Stories to Produce; STXinternational to Handle International Distribution
Academy Award® nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Everest, Prisoners, Source Code), Golden Globe® nominee Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver, The Fault in Our Stars) and breakout star Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Greatest Showman) have stepped aboard the new crime thriller "Finest Kind," which was written and will be directed by Academy Award® winner Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River).
"Finest Kind" will be produced by Gary Foster (Denial, The Soloist, Sleepless in Seattle) and Russ Krasnoff (Denial, The Soloist) under Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment, Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas, and Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker under their Nine Stories banner.
30WEST is financing the film. STXinternational, a division of STX Entertainment, will handle international distribution for the film and introduce to buyers at the upcoming European Film Market.
STXinternational will also directly distribute the film in the UK and Ireland.
"Finest Kind" is a crime thriller about two brothers (Gyllenhaal and Elgort) who strike a dangerous deal with a crime syndicate that draws them into the Boston underworld.
As pressures mount, sacrifices must be made and bonds—between brother and brother and between father and sons--put to the test.
Producer Gary Foster said, “Brian and I have dreamed about making this film together for a long time. Brian’s directorial vision and powerful screenplay which draws on his experiences growing up in the tough town of New Bedfrod, Mass., has attracted a stellar cast lead by Jake, Ansel and Zendaya. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
David Kosse, President of STXinternational said, “Reteaming with Imperative and 30WEST is another great opportunity to bring quality filmmaking to the international marketplace. Brian Helgeland is the perfect director to capture the grit and emotion of this phenomenal cast. It’s a great collaboration on every level and I could not be more delighted to be working alongside such an exciting group of filmmakers.”Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Academy Award® for his performance in "Brokeback Mountain." He recently wrapped production on "The Sisters Brothers" for Jacques Audiard and starred in David Gordon "Green’s Stronger," which was also produced by Nine Stories.
Elgort received a Golden Globe® nomination for his performance in Edgar Wright’s "Baby Driver" for Sony and is currently in production on John Crowley’s "The Goldfinch" for Warner Bros.
Zendaya recently starred in Michael Gracey’s acclaimed musical "The Greatest Showman" alongside Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and Zac Efron; she is currently in production on the animated feature "Smallfoot" for Warner Bros; and starts production on the new Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel later this year.
Helgeland won an Academy Award® for Best Screenplay for "L.A. Confidential" and was nominated in the same category for "Mystic River." He wrote and directed "42" starring Chadwick Boseman for Warner Bros.
Imperative Entertainment, 30WEST and STXinternational previously collaborated on Ridley Scott’s "All the Money in the World," which earned Christopher Plummer an Academy Award® nomination for his star turn in the highly acclaimed film released by Sony’s TriStar Pictures in the U.S. and STX international’s distribution partners around the globe.
30WEST is co-financing Nisha Ganatra’s comedy "Late Night," starring Academy Award® Winner Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling, which is also being produced by Imperative Entertainment.
Since its launch in 2016 led by international veteran David Kosse, STX international has crafted a formidable slate that includes the upcoming productions "Mile 22" from director Peter Berg starring Mark Wahlberg, Adrift starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin and "The Happytime Murders" starring Melissa McCarthy. The company’s dynamic slate also includes, "Peppermint" starring Jennifer Garner and "Second Act" starring Jennifer Lopez and Vanessa Hudgens.
Nine Stories is a New-York based production company founded by Jake Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker in 2015. The company most recently produced David Gordon Green’s “Stronger,” inspired by a true story and based on The New York Times bestseller of the same name, and the upcoming film “Wildlife,” which centers on the story of a teenage boy who witnesses the decay of his parents’ marriage after their move to Montana.
Helgeland is represented by CAA, Gyllenhaal is represented by WME. Elgort is represented by CAA and Brookside Artist Management. Zendaya is repped by CAA and Monster Talent Management.
CAA and Endeavor Content are repping the U.S. rights on behalf of 30WEST.
