The Raid’s Iko Uwais, Beulah Koale, Kate Elliott and Flying Lotus join Eiza González and Aaron Paul, with production shooting in New Zealand
Iko Uwais, Beulah Koale, Kate Elliott and Flying Lotus round out the cast alongside co-stars Eiza González and Aaron Paul in the new sci-fi thriller ASH, directed by Flying Lotus and based on an original screenplay written by Jonni Remmler. Nate Boloton of XYZ Films and Matthew Metcalfe of GFC Films are producing, with Neill Blomkamp (DISTRICT 9) and Echo Lake onboard as exec producers. XYZ Films is co-financing alongside IPR.VC. Flying Lotus is also set to compose an original score on the film. Production is now underway in New Zealand.
When a woman (González) wakes up on a distant planet and finds the crew of her space station viciously killed, she must decide if she can trust the man (Paul) sent to rescue her.
Iko Uwais has a long history of working with XYZ Films, dating back to his star turn in the global success THE RAID franchise, as well as THE NIGHT COMES FOR US. Uwais has also been seen in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII THE FORCE AWAKENS, STUBER and SNAKE EYES, MILE 22 and WU ASSASSINS. He will next be seen in THE EXPENDABLES 4.
Koale also has a history with XYZ Films, also appearing in their Sundance Film Festival hit DUAL. He is best known for his role in “Hawaii Five-O ” and is also known for THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE and NEXT GOAL WINS.
Elliott is best known for her roles in the series “The Gulf” and “Wentworth.” She has also had key roles in FRACTURE and DEATHGASM.”
ASH also serves as a follow up collaboration between XYZ and GFC, having successfully worked together on NZ Oscar entry THE DEAD LANDS from Toa Fraser, which was presented to the US market by James Cameron and Toa’s next feature 6 DAYS starring Jamie Bell, Mark Strong and Abbie Cornish which was a global hit on Netflix.
Flying Lotus aka Steven Ellison is a genre-bending Grammy Award-winning producer, composer, filmmaker, rapper and founder/owner of Brainfeeder Records. Originally from Los Angeles, California, he has defined an entire creative generation by synthesizing his vast range of musical and narrative visual influences into an expansive yet unmistakable world of sound and imagery. Since 2006, Ellison has released six studio albums to global critical acclaim and composed much of the bumper music heard on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. An alumnus of The Los Angeles Film School, his debut film KUSO premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017, and last year he executive produced and scored the successful Netflix anime series YASUKE, directed by LeSean Thomas (“The Boondocks”) and starring LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You, “Atlanta”) based on the real historical figure of a famed Black samurai from 16th century Japan. Most recently Steven wrote, directed and scored a segment for the latest installment of the anthology franchise V/H/S/99. Ellison has worked with celebrated visionaries from David Lynch and Alma Harel, to Hiro Murai, Khalil Joseph and Shinichiro Watanabe, and has been mentored by legendary filmmaker, Terence Malick.
“So proud to work with this amazing group of fearless artists. Everyone involved is committed to making something extra special,” said Flying Lotus.
XYZ’s current projects include Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title IN FLAMES, Tribeca Official Selection THE SEEDING, RECKONER starring Christine Hendricks, THE GUNS OF CHRISTMAS PAST starring Liev Schreiber, THE LAST BACHELOR starring Seann William Scott, Berlin competition title BLACKBERRY from director Matt Johnson which stars Glenn Howerton and Jay Baruchel, ASH starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul and to be directed by Flying Lotus, SEVEN VEILS starring Amanda Seyfried and directed by Atom Egoyan, Sundance selection RUN RABBIT RUN directed by Dana Reid and starring Sarah Snook, DANIELA FOREVER to be directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Henry Golding and Beatrice Grannò. The XYZ slate at Cannes also includes Xavier Gens’ THE GUNS OF CHRISTMAS PAST with Liev Schreiber and Nissar Modi’s debut feature RECKONER starring Christina Hendricks.
Current titles for GFC Films include A MISTAKE, Christine Jeffs medical drama currently in post-production with Elizabeth Banks in the lead, THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK based on Mark Manson’s global and No.1 New York Times best seller. While previous titles include THE DEAD LANDS (film and TV adaptation), the feature adaptation of Thomas Piketty’s #1 NY Times Bestselling book CAPITAL IN THE 21st CENTURY in partnership with Canal Plus and Studio Canal and MOTHERS OF THE REVOLUTION, produced in conjunction with Universal Pictures and narrated by double Academy Award winner, Glenda Jackson.
Echo Lake Entertainment currently produces “The Great” for Hulu which was nominated for numerous awards in its first two seasons. Season 3 has just been ordered by Hulu. Nominated for two Emmy’s in its 1st season, the series stars Elle Fanning and Nicolaus Hoult. Recent credits include ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES and OXYGEN for Netflix, VAN HELSING for Syfy and THE SECRETS WE KEEP distributed by Bleecker Street.
Uwais is repped by Gersh and Entertainment 360. Koale is repped by A3 Artists Agency, Red11 Management and Alan Siegel Entertainment. Elliot is repped by Independent Management Company and Lion Rock Management.
About XYZ Films:
XYZ Films is an independent studio whose mission is to empower visionary storytellers from every corner of the planet. As a producer, financier and distributor, the company is uniquely suited to identify talented filmmakers and bring their stories to life. XYZ recently expanded into talent management, working with a global roster of filmmakers. XYZ was founded in 2008 by Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian. The company’s titles include THE RAID franchise, 2017 Sundance winner I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, and Panos Cosmatos’ psychedelic revenge thriller MANDY.
About GFC Films:
GFC Films is an Auckland based production company responsible for some twenty-five feature films and drama series.
The company’s titles include classics such as DEAN SPANLEY, THE DEAD LANDS franchise and adaptations of global best-sellers such as CAPITAL IN THE 21st CENTURY and THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK.
GFC Films is headed by producer Matthew Metcalfe.
About Really Happening Management:
Really Happening Management, is an Artist Management company, representing a roster of internationally distinguished Artists who have worked with Flying Lotus since 2007. Founded by Dominic Smith and Alison Theophilus with offices in Los Angeles and London, Really Happening’s aim is to enable the work of truly independent artists to achieve global success. Their clients have performed to hundreds of thousands of people around the world, received three Grammy wins, seven nominations, and have been streamed over 2 billion times.
About Echo Lake Entertainment
Echo Lake Entertainment, founded by CEO Doug Mankoff in 1998, is a management, production and finance company based in Beverly Hills, California. The company has produced and financed over forty films, earning 8 Academy Award® nominations and 1 Academy Award® win. Echo Lake’s management division represents established and emerging actors, writers, IP creators and directors from all over the world and is led by former MGM chief Mike Marcus.
