VOLTAGE LAUNCHING SALES AHEAD OF AFM
Amy Smart (Stargirl, Just Friends, Crank), Matt Davis (Legally Blonde, “The Vampire Diaries,” Blue Crush), Ne-Yo (Battle Los Angeles, Stomp the Yard), Billy Zane (Titanic, The Phantom) and Greer Grammer (Deadly Illusions) are set to star in writer/director Anna Elizabeth James’ Blunt, it was announced today by Voltage Pictures President and COO Jonathan Deckter. Voltage is handling worldwide sales and will introduce the hot title to buyers immediately.
In this mystery thriller, a single mother (Smart) wakes up to find herself hogtied and held captive at her country vacation rental by an unknown assailant. In a race against time, she must piece together clues from the previous guests to find out who assaulted her, and hopefully survive the ordeal.
James produces under her Kiss and Tale Productions banner alongside Richard Switzer, Julie Gause, Paul Luba and Chad Verdi Jr. Executive producers are Larry Galluzzo and Tim Bien.
James previous film, the suspenseful thriller, Deadly Illusions, was number one worldwide for eight days upon release on Netflix in 2021. Voltage also represented rights on the runaway success.
“Deadly Illusions deservedly earned cult status, becoming one of the biggest streaming hits of 2021, so we’re thrilled to be back in business with the very talented Anna,” said Deckter. “She’s written another tense and taut thriller with twists and turns that are sure to satisfy her growing fan base.”
“I love when a female lead is the detective of her own story,” said James. “It’s a captivating playground to be in and one I think is rarely tapped into, especially from the female gaze. Amy and the rest of our cast delivered a performance beyond my wildest imagination, and I am thrilled with what we will be sharing with our audience — a classic “who-dun-it with mind bending elements and, what I’d like to think, is a progressive and pulpy take on the whole post-pandemic, app living world.”
Smart rose to fame in 1999 with her role as Jules Harbor in Varsity Blues before leading Roger Kumble’s iconic romantic comedy Just Friends opposite Ryan Reynolds and Anna Faris. She went on to star in The Butterfly Effect alongside Ashton Kutcher and can most recently be seen in the CW show “Stargirl.”
Davis is known for his role as Reese Witherspoon’s preppy love interest Warner in Legally Blonde, as well as his recurring role as Alaric Saltzman in the hit CW series “The Vampire Diaries” and its predecessors “The Originals” and most recently, “Legacies.” He starred also opposite Kate Bosworth in the hit sport romance Blue Crush.
Three-time, Grammy award-winning R&B hitmaker Ne-Yo’s film and television credits include NBC’s World of Dance, Empire, Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance, Battle: Los Angeles, George Lucas’ Red Tails, The Wiz Live! and Starz’ Step Up.
Zane is best known for his role as Kate Winslet’s devious fiancé Cal Hockley in Titanic. His breakthrough was in the horror-thriller Dead Calm alongside Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill.
Grammer previously collaborated with James on Deadly Illusions opposite Kristin Davis and Dermot Mulroney. She is known for her TV roles as Lissa in the hit MTV TV show “Awkward.” and as April in “The Middle.” Other film credits include Netflix’s The Last Summer.
ABOUT VOLTAGE PICTURES
Voltage Pictures, established in 2005, is the leading privately held, film and television production, financing and sales entity. Voltage has won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture for The Hurt Locker, and three Academy Awards for Dallas Buyers Club.
The current Voltage film slate includes Roger Kumble’s (Cruel Intentions, After We Collided) YA adaption of the New York Times bestselling novel Beautiful Disaster, starring Dylan Sprouse, Virginia Gardner, Austin North and Libe Barer, the highly anticipated action-thriller Last Seen Alive starring Gerard Butler, Jaimie Alexander, Russell Hornsby and Ethan Embry, which released June 3rd, 202 and the biopic Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller with Academy Award-winner John Voight and the new suspense-thriller.
Voltage represented worldwide rights on After, based on the internationally best-selling series of books, that debuted number one at the box office in 17 international territories including Germany and Italy when released in April 2019, grossing over $70m worldwide. The highly anticipated sequel, After We Collided, opened in September 2020 and grossed nearly $50m worldwide; the third film in the franchise, After We Fell, opened in select territories in September 2021, and has grossed over $32m worldwide. The fourth installment, After Ever Happy, is currently in release.
Following the success of the After franchise, Voltage has emerged as an industry leader in the YA romance space; the company also sold international rights on the heart-warming romances Finding You starring Katherine McNamara, Tom Everett Scott and Vanessa Redgrave; Time Is Up, starring social media sensation Bella Thorne and Italian popstar Benjamin Mascolo. Voltage also sold-out worldwide rights on the best-selling YA novel adaptation Words on Bathroom Walls, starring Charlie Plummer, Andy García, Taylor Russell, AnnaSophia Robb, Molly Parker and Walton Goggins which was released theatrically in August 2020.
Additional releases include I Feel Pretty starring Amy Schumer and Michelle Williams, which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide upon its release in 2018,Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film festival and subsequently sold to Netflix in a multi-territory deal.
