Highland Film Group Partners with Mucho Mas Media to Co-Finance, with Highland Film Group Handling Worldwide Rights
The Avenue to release in the U.S.
Josh Lucas (Ford v Ferrari, Sweet Home Alabama) is set to lead prolific action director Adrian Grunberg’s (Rambo: Last Blood, Get the Gringo) upcoming survival thriller The Black Demon, it was announced today.
Written by Boise Esquerra (Austin Film Festival nominated “Blackwater”), the film is set to start principal photography in December 2021 on location in the Dominican Republic.
Developed by Mucho Mas Media and Silk Mass, The Black Demon is co-financed by Highland Film Group (HFG), who is representing worldwide rights to the film and will launch international sales at the upcoming American Film Market. HFG’s domestic distribution arm, The Avenue, has taken US distribution rights and is targeting a 2023 release.
The Black Demon is produced by Mucho Mas’ Javier Chapa and Silk Mass’ Jon Silk, alongside R.U. Robot’s Petr Jákl. The film is executive produced by production company Mucho Mas’ Phillip Braun, Simon Wise, Bruce Barshop, Vincent Cordero, Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, Henry Winterstern, The Avenue’s JJ Caruth and R.U. Robot’s Martin J. Barab. The Avenue and R.U. Robot are on board for financing.
When oilman Paul Sturges (Lucas) takes his family on vacation to Bahia Azul, the vibrant coastal town he and his wife once knew has mysteriously crumbled and the locals are nowhere to be found. Paul starts off his day with a routine visit to inspect his nearby oil rig, but before he knows it, his entire family has landed with him on the rotting metal tower. From the depths of the ocean rises a massive megalodon known only by its name: the Black Demon. Under constant threat from this ancient enemy of legend, Paul must find a way to get his family back to shore alive.
“Survival thrillers centered on the apex predator of the ocean have captivated audiences for generations, and to have this fresh take helmed by the action master Adrian and led by the incredibly talented Josh, makes The Black Demon a truly exciting project,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. “We think audiences around the world will be excited to see this Mexican legend on the big screen for the first time,” added Mucho Mas’ Javier Chapa.
Box-office draw Josh Lucas can be seen next in Lilly alongside Academy Award-nominated Patricia Clarkson. He has appeared in Universal’s latest Purge franchise offering, The Forever Purge, the Academy Award-winning biopic Ford v Ferrari opposite Christian Bale and Matt Damon, as Young John Dutton in Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone,” Disney’s hugely successful rom-com Sweet Home Alabama opposite Reese Witherspoon and Lionsgate’s gripping psychodrama American Psycho opposite Bale.
Adrian Grünberg is known for directing 20th Century Fox’s Get the Gringo starring Mel Gibson, which he also co-wrote with Gibson, and Lionsgate’s Rambo: Last Blood starring action megastar Sylvester Stallone.
Lucas is repped by WME, Liebman Entertainment and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof & Fishman. Grünberg is repped by A3 Artists Agency, Inclusion and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof & Fishman.
Highland Film Group’s current sales slate of films also includes Renny Harlin’s The Misfits starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon and Tim Roth; Allan Ungar’s Bandit starring Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson and Elisha Cuthbert; Stephan Rick’s The Good Neighbor starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Luke Kleintank; Avan Jogia’s Door Mouse starring Hayley Law, Famke Janssen and Keith Powers and Andy Fickman’s One True Loves starring Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo, and Luke Bracey.
ABOUT HIGHLAND FILM GROUP
Check out the new and improved website: https://highlandfilmgroup.com/
Led by founding partners Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, Highland Film Group (HFG) is an independent worldwide sales, film financing, production and distribution company. Launched in 2010, HFG has had success across a wide range of film genres and platforms, building a reputation for handling high-octane films in the action/thriller/horror space, focusing on cast, director, and filmmaker driven content.
HFG’s diversified production and sales slate includes Andy Fickman’s One True Loves starring Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu and Luke Bracey; Renny Harlin’s The Misfits starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon and Tim Roth; Allan Ungar’s Bandit starring Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson and Elisha Cuthbert; Stephan Rick’s The Good Neighbor starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Luke Kleintank; Mauro Borelli’sWarhunt starring Mickey Rourke; Edward Drake’s Gasoline Alley starring Bruce Willis, Luke Wilson and Devon Sawa; Herbert James Winterstern’s Supercell starring Alec Baldwin; Mark Neveldine’s Panama starring Cole Hauser and Mel Gibson; Randall Emmett’s Wash Me In The River starring Robert De Niro, Jack Huston and John Malkovich; Andrew Baird’s One Way starring Colson ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ Baker and Travis Fimmel; John D. Eraklis’ and Tara Whitaker’s Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk with the voices of will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Whoopi Goldberg and Howie Mandel; Mark Earl Burman’s Ambush starring Aaron Eckhart; Avan Jogia’s Door Mouse starring Hayley Law, Famke Janssen and Keith Powers; Andrew Baird’s Zone 414 starring Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz and Travis Fimmel; The Tiger Rising starring Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid; Randall Emmett’s Midnight in the Switchgrass starring Bruce Willis, Megan Fox, and Emile Hirsch; and Petr Jakl’s Medieval starring Ben Foster and Michael Caine.
Previous titles include Joe Carnahan’s Boss Level starring Naomi Watts, Mel Gibson and Frank Grillo; Lin Oeding’s thriller Bravenstarring Jason Momoa; Scott Mann’s Final Score starring Dave Bautista, and Pierce Brosnan; Berlin, I Love You with Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Jim Sturgess, Mickey Rourke, Diego Luna, and Jenna Dewan Tatum; Vaughn Stein’s Terminal starring Margot Robbie.
ABOUT THE AVENUE
Launched in 2020, The Avenue is HFG’s US distribution division and handles all aspects of distribution, from theatrical through home entertainment to television/SVOD. The Avenue is dedicated to partnering with filmmakers and leading them into innovative ways of marketing and distribution so their stories can reach the widest audience. The Avenue has also signed an agreement with Paramount Home Entertainment to handle Blu-ray™, DVD, VOD, and Digital distribution. Films released under The Avenue label will be a combination of film titles from Highland Film Group as well as third party acquisitions.
The first feature film title released under the new stand-alone distribution banner was the martial arts sci-fi film Jiu Jitsu starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas) and Frank Grillo (Boss Level, Avengers: Endgame). The film was released in November 2020. The Avenue also released Renny Harlin’s The Misfits, starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon, and Tim Roth, which had a theatrical joint release with Paramount Pictures in June 2021. Upcoming titles include Dallas Jackson’s action-thriller The Systemstarring Tyrese Gibson, Terrence Howard, Jeremy Piven and Lil Yachty as well as HFG’s romance One True Loves starring Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu and Luke Bracey for director Andy Fickman.
MUCHO MAS MEDIA
Mucho Mas Media is a Los Angeles-based multi-media company that is a leader in LatinX and inclusive-focused content for global audiences. Mucho Mas Media also includes Inclusion Management, a leading US-based Latinx & inclusive-focused talent management company, as well as ViDA On Demand, the premier independent global lifestyle SVOD-hybrid service. For more information, please visit: www.muchomasmedia.com
