Alex Wolff (Oppenheimer, Hereditary, Pig), Victoria Pedretti (You, Origin, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood), Asa Butterfield (Sex Education, Ender’s Game, Hugo) and Justice Smith (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) are set to star in the “dark and sexy” psychological thriller If She Burns, which Wolff will direct from his own screenplay.
The film will follow a fiery young woman (Pedretti) who travels to Europe with her dysfunctional family after a traumatic incident. There she finds refuge and danger in a turbulent affair with her enigmatic neighbor (Wolff), which, along with increasing family tensions and mysterious wildfires, threaten to push her to breaking point.
If She Burns is being produced by Jay Van Hoy (The Witch), Andra Gordon (Castle in the Ground), and Wolff, who as a professional musician and composer will also write and produce music for the film with Karl McComas-Reichl. Currently in pre-production and scheduled to start shooting on location in Italy in 2024, Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales on the film at the American Film Market, with WME handling North American sales. The actors were attached to the film prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The film is Wolff’s second feature following his critically acclaimed debut The Cat and the Moon (2019), which became a festival hit and fan favorite. He will next be seen in the upcoming A Quiet Place: Day One.
“I’m exhilarated to embark on a journey with such remarkable, brave actors like Victoria, Asa and Justice. What we put on screen will be daring, ferocious, tender, and honest. I’m honored to be able to share it,” said Wolff.
Producers Gordon and Van Hoy added: “We’re excited to partner with Mister Smith and help bring Alex’s powerful vision to life with this wonderful cast. His evocative portrayal of a young woman contending with mounting internal and external pressure ramps up to a thrilling, poignant climax in a seamlessly heightened world where reality and perception are blurred.”
Mister Smith founder and CEO David Garrett said: “Alex’s distinctive taste and vision as a director is reflected in the projects he has been involved in to date. For If She Burns, he assembled a fascinating and talented young cast who are all currently making their mark across trailblazing film and television. Alex’s script sizzles with erotic tension and promises to deliver an unsettling and mesmerizing experience for the audience.”
This story originally appeared on HollywoodReporter