CANNES, May, 2008
Intrepid Pictures and Kincine today announced production of Prodigy, adapted for the screen by Dave Kalstein from his own acclaimed 2006 novel. Chuck Russell will direct. Intrepid Pictures principals Trevor Macy and Marc D. Evans will produce, along with Kincine’s Jesus Martinez, as well as Kevin Mann and Matt Perniciaro.
Prodigy follows William Cooley, a rebellious student at the elite Stansbury School – a boarding school that produces world leaders in all fields through strict education and pharmaceutical enhancement. Three days before Cooley’s graduation, several alumni from Stansbury are murdered, and Cooley, who doesn’t subscribe to the school’s rules is implicated. Thomas Goldsmith, the formidable school valedictorian, takes responsibility for investigating Cooley. The pair eventually become reluctant allies, working together to solve the murders. They soon find their lives endangered, as they begin to unravel the cabal behind the murders, in a thrilling conspiracy that reaches far beyond the confines of their school. “I’ve always felt that the best science fiction takes what actually exists today, and projects what’s around the corner in a compelling way. It’s rare to find a story that features a young cast and has the kind of thrills inherent in Prodigy. I’m looking forward to making a movie that will connect to audiences around the world,” said Russell.
Chuck Russell has been responsible as a director for nearly $1 billlion in worldwide box office (including his films The Mask, Eraser, and The Scorpion King). Macy and Evans added “We are excited about doing a science fiction movie with Chuck that’s both engaging and grounded. You don’t have to look too far in the future to relate to its themes and characters.”
Prodigy will be a U.S.-Spanish co-production shot entirely in Valencia, Spain, and at the Ciudad de la Luz studios in Alicante. Principal photography is expected to start this summer. Kincine and Intrepid will finance and produce the picture, with Intrepid producing and Kincine providing production and post-production services. Casting is currently underway in Los Angeles, under the supervision of Anne McCarthy & Jay Scully (Chronicles of Riddick, Requiem for a Dream, Sahara).
Founded in 2005 by Trevor Macy and Marc D. Evans, Intrepid Pictures is a feature film production and financing company backed by a consortium of institutional investors and a revolving credit facility led by JP Morgan Chase. Sharing a non-exclusive first-look deal with Universal Pictures and Rogue Pictures, Intrepid produces and finances 2 to 4 pictures per year with Rogue, Universal, and other distributors. Intrepid’s mandate is to finance and produce commercial projects in the thriller, action, horror, and comedy genres, targeting the 12 – 34 year old audience. Intrepid Pictures has produced six pictures with Universal and Rogue since its inception, including Dave Meyers’ remake of The Hitcher, produced by Michael Bay and starring Sean Bean and Sophia Bush; and Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon’s Balls of Fury, starring Dan Fogler, George Lopez, Maggie Q, and Christopher Walken; and Neal Marshall’s Doomsday, released domestically in March 2008. Intrepid’s upcoming releases include The Strangers, written and directed by Bryan Bertino, starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, which Universal will release in North America on May 30th.
Kincine is a state of the art Valencia post production house founded by Jesus and Oscar Martinez in 2002. In 2007, Kincine moved into film production and financing through its sister company Galavis. In 2007, Galavis participated in the production and financing of three Spanish films: Jesus Ponce's "Dejate Caer," Pau Martinez's "El Kaseron," and Leonel Vieira's "El Arte de Robar."
