Highland Film Group Partners with Mucho Mas Media to Co-Finance, with Highland Film Group Handling Worldwide Rights
Fernanda Urrejola (Clint Eastwood’s Cry Macho, Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico”) and Julio Cesar Cedillo (Netflix’s The Harder They Fall and “Narcos: Mexico,” Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario) join Josh Lucas (Ford v Ferrari, Sweet Home Alabama) in prolific action director Adrian Grünberg’s (Rambo: Last Blood, Get the Gringo) survival thriller The Black Demon, it was announced today. Also joining the cast are Jorge A. Jimenez (Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills, Netflix’s “Narcos”), Héctor Jiménez (Jared Hess’ Nacho Libre), Raúl Méndez (“Narcos”), Edgar Flores (Cary Joji Fukunaga’s Sin Nombre), Venus Ariel (Ava DuVernay’s upcoming “DMZ”) and Carlos Solórzano (Eva Longoria’s upcoming Flamin’ Hot).
Written by Boise Esquerra (Austin Film Festival nominated “Blackwater”), the film will wrap principal photography at the end of January 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. 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, Adrian Grünberg,Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, The Avenue’s JJ Caruth, R.U. Robot’s Martin J. Barab and Blue Rider Pictures’ Walter Josten (Around the World in 80 Days, Holes) and Patrick Josten (Hypnotic, Poker Face). Highland Film Group is also co-financing alongside Blue Rider Pictures.
“Talented, committed, and with an open heart and soul—that is what all directors search for in a cast. And every one of these actors bring the building blocks of the cultural mosaic that makes up The Black Demon. I am thrilled, humbled, and lucky to have them take my image to the next level,” noted director Adrian Grünberg.
“The Black Demon is a captivating survival thriller with a fantastic ensemble cast, spearheaded by the action master Adrian,” said Highland Film Group’s CEO Arianne Fraser. “This is a fresh and exciting take on the fabled deep-water predator, and we are thrilled to bring this film to the marketplace,” added COO Delphine Perrier.
“We’re so happy with the cast that Adrian was able to unite around this film and cannot imagine a more talented group of actors to create a movie about this Mexican legend,” said producers Javier Chapa and Jon Silk.
Based on a Mexican legend – While on a trip to Baja, an oilman finds himself and his family stranded on a rig where the sins of his past have put him and all he holds dear in the crosshairs of a sinister force.
Fernanda Urrejola is known for the role of María Elvira, wife of Diego Luna’s character Miguel in Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico.” The Chilean actress’s credits include Clint Eastwood’s Cry Macho, Sony Pictures TV’s “Party of Five” reboot and Netflix’s Blue Miraclestarring Dennis Quaid.
Julio Cesar Cedillo recently starred in Netflix’s acclaimed film The Harder They Fall alongside Idris Elba, Regina King and Delroy Lindo. His many credits include Netflix’s hit series “Narcos: Mexico”; Cowboys & Aliens starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde; Denis Villeneuve’s award-winning Sicario and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones.
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. Urrejola is repped by APA and Vision Entertainment; Cedillo is repped by Spellbound Entertainment and BBA Talent; Solórzano is repped by Tina Randolph Contogenis at Eris Talent Agency, Inc; Jorge A. Jiménez is repped by AFA Prime Talent; Ariel is repped at Osbrink Agency and Valor Entertainment Group; Flores is repped by Margrit Polak and Micki Caruso McGinnis at Margrit Polak Management; Méndez is repped by MGMT Entertainment and Héctor Jiménez is repped by Carlos Meza Yazpik at Panea MGMT and Carlos Carreras at CESD Talent.
Highland Film Group’s current sales slate of films also includes One True Loves starring Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo and Luke Bracey; James Cullen Bressack’s Hot Seat starring Mel Gibson and Kevin Dillon; K. Asher Levin’s Slayers starring Thomas Jane, Abigail Breslin and Malin Akerman; Renny Harlin’s The Misfits starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon and Tim Roth; Allan Ungar’sBandit starring Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson and Elisha Cuthbert; Stephan Rick’s The Good Neighbor starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Luke Kleintank and Avan Jogia’s Door Mouse starring Hayley Law, Famke Janssen and Keith Powers.
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 Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo and Luke Bracey; Adrian Grünberg’s The Black Demon starring Josh Lucas; James Cullen Bressack’s Hot Seat starring Mel Gibson and Kevin Dillon; Mark Earl Burman’s Ambush starring Aaron Eckhart; K. Asher Levin’s Slayers starring Thomas Jane, Abigail Breslin and Malin Akerman; Casey Tebo’s Black Friday! starring Devon Sawa and Bruce Campbell; Mauro Borelli’s Warhunt starring Mickey Rourke; Stephan Rick’s The Good Neighbor starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Luke Kleintank; Andrew Baird’s One Way starring Colson Baker, Kevin Bacon and Travis Fimmel; Edward Drake’s Gasoline Alley starring Bruce Willis, Luke Wilson and Devon Sawa; Mark Neveldine’s Panama starring Mel Gibson and Cole Hauser; Fortress starring Bruce Willis; Avan Joglia’s Door Mouse starring Hayley Law, Famke Janssen and Keith Powers; Allan Ungar’s Bandit starring Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson and Elisha Cuthbert; The Lairdirected by Neil Marshall; Randall Emmett’s Wash Me In The River starring Robert De Niro, Jack Huston and John Malkovich; Herbert James Winterstern’s Supercell starring Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche; Petr Jakl’s Medieval starring Ben Foster and Michael Caine; 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; The Tiger Rising starring Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid; and Renny Harlin’s The Misfits starring Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon and Tim Roth.
Previous titles include Joe Carnahan’s Boss Level starring Naomi Watts, Mel Gibson and Frank Grillo; Dimitri Logothetis’ Jiu Jitsustarring Nicolas Cage and Tony Jaa; Lin Oeding’s thriller Braven starring 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 romancer 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
