Frankie Muniz, best known for his days as a child actor starring in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle and films like My Dog Skip, Agent Cody Banks, and Big Fat Liar, has signed on to star in the sci-fi thriller Renner alongside Violett Beane, whose credits include The Flash, God Friended Me, Flay, and Truth or Dare. Deadline notes that filming will take place at the newly formed Ascent Studios in Spring Hope, North Carolina this summer.
Robert Rippberger (Those Who Walk Away), who is a founding partner at Ascent Studios, will be directing Renner from a screenplay written by Martin Medina and David Largman Murray (who were working from a story crafted by Luke Medina). The film will center on a computer genius named Renner and played by Muniz as he looks to court his neighbor Jamie (Beane) with the help of an A.I. he develops named Salenus — only to realize, a bit too late, that he accidentally programmed his manipulative mother into it.
So this is another movie about the dangers of A.I., a subject that is becoming quite popular these days.
Rippberger is producing Renner with Martin Medina, KT Kent, Devin Keaton, and Jay Burnley of Slated. Greg Gertmenian, Ali Baghdadi, Kyle Pritchard, Stan Hahnel, LeaAnne Hahnel, Anita Konka, Laura Winstead, Nathan Edwards, and Neuman Vong are all serving as executive producers.
Rippberger provided the following statement: “I was immediately attracted to the powerful, unnerving, and darkly Freudian script from Martin Medina and Luke Medina. I am thrilled to be working with Frankie and Violett to bring Renner to the big screen for what will be a fresh A.I. thriller.“
How does Renner sound to you? Are you interested in seeing a sci-fi thriller about Frankie Muniz and Violett Beane taking on a manipulative A.I.? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
In addition to the horror thriller Those Who Walk Away, Rippberger has also directed the drama Strive and the documentaries Public Enemy Number One, 7 Days in Syria, Face of Unity, Visions for the Future, and Breaking the Cycle.