Lionsgate today announced that they've locked down a worldwide theatrical release for ANTEBELLUM, the highly anticipated first film from the groundbreaking writing/directing team of Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, for August 21, 2020. Oh, but the studio isn't about to stop there. No, sir. In addition to dating ANTEBELLUM, Lionsgate also shared that they've inked a deal for the duo’s next film, RAPTURE. The announcement was made today by Nathan Kahane, President of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group and Erin Westerman, President of Motion Picture Production for the studio.
Word has it that Lionsgate was declared the victor of a heated bidding war for Bush and Renz's next project, which is based on a short story that will serve as the inspiration for an original screenplay. The duo will write/direct the feature, with work on the screenplay expected to start immediately.
In terms of plot, RAPTURE is a mind-bending nightmare of Biblical proportions in which a family is torn apart by warring beliefs and must come together to unravel the mystery around the sudden vanishing of the global population – before it’s too late.
QC Entertainment’s (US, GET OUT) Sean McKittrick and Raymond Mansfield, who alongside Bush and Renz, Lionsgate and Zev Foreman produced ANTEBELLUM, will reunite to produce RAPTURE. Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz will also produce. Zev Foreman will serve as executive producer. QC’s Ted Hamm and Maya Rodrigo will executive produce and co-produce, respectively. Jim Miller and Aaron Edmonds will oversee the project for Lionsgate.
In talking about the announcement, Kahane said:
We could not be more excited to release Bush+Renz’s Antebellum on August 21. After the amazing experience of collaborating on that film, we’re excited to build a second film with these prolific and daring auteurs. Like with everything they do, Rapture will be beautiful, evocative and will pierce through the clutter, and we’re certain it will spark many important conversations. They are the kind of voices we need right now. We couldn't be more proud to be working with them along with Sean McKittrick and Raymond Mansfield at QC Entertainment and Zev Foreman as we bring their films to audiences everywhere.
Bush and Renz then added their voice to the chorus of excitement by saying:
In Lionsgate, we could not wish for more committed studio partners than Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Damon Wolf and their teams, who demonstrated their support of our vision as artists and filmmakers at every juncture of the development and production process with Antebellum. We look forward to continuing our efforts in collaboration, to redefine the theatrical experience for the moviegoing audience with our next project, Rapture.
Lastly, David Spitz, President of Worldwide Theatrical Distribution for Lionsgate, said:
We are thrilled to join our industry and exhibitor partners as we begin to plan for a return to moviegoing. With tentpole movies from major distributors, like Warner Bros. Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984, and Disney's Mulan, all lined up for late summer, we believe that by August 21, audiences will be eager for the distinctive, unique story and voice of these groundbreaking filmmakers debut, Antebellum. Like those films, Antebellum is a movie that demands to be seen and experienced in a theater.
While we wait for more details related to RAPTURE, it's very cool to know that we have a planned release date for ANTEBELLUM, starring Janelle Monae, Eric Lange and Jena Malone, among others. Presented as a horror/thriller, ANTEBELLUM tells the story of a successful author named Veronica who finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it's too late. ANTEBELLUM is set now for an August 21, 2020 release.