No, folks, this is not an April fools day joke. A movie called The Jurassic Games has started production. And it promises to mashup the best elements of popular franchises The Hunger Games and Jurassic World. It doesn't sound like your typical spoof, either, but instead will be an on-the-level sci-fi action thriller. Though, probably not with the big budget VFX you're used to seeing at the local cinema.

We have the official PR for you here, with the movie coming from Galen Christy's High Octane Pictures, in association with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO). They state that they've officially kicked off production on Ryan Bellgardt's amazing sounding The Jurassic Games.

Starring Ryan Merriman (Final Destination 3) and Perrey Reeves (Entoutrage), the film imagines a world set in the near future wherein ten Death Row convicts are chosen to compete in The Jurassic Games, the ultimate virtual reality game show that pits its players against dinosaurs and each other. However, there is a catch...If you die in the virtual game, you also die in reality; and for Anthony Tucker (Adam Hampton), survival is his one chance to be reunited with his children after having been wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his wife.

As the devious The Host continues adding improbable challenges, the characters will find the odds stacked against them as only one victor can emerge as winner and reclaim their freedom.The Jurassic Games is the third film from Emmy Award-winning director Bellgardt, whose highly anticipated creature feature Gremlin will be released this Summer. Says Christy.

"High Octane Pictures is very excited to be back in business with Ryan Bellgardt, unarguably one of the most talented new filmmakers in the business. The Jurassic Games is a very exciting concept, it's part Hunger Games, part Jurassic Park...And just a hell of a lot of fun. With Bellgardt behind the camera, and the fantastic cast we've lined up for the film, it's definitely a movie for film fans to anticipate. It's gonna be dino-mite."

High Octane Pictures upcoming credits include buzzed-about horror title Clowntergeist, out mid-year, and high concept science-fictioner The Answer. Ryan Merriman began his acting career with the recurring character Blake Kellogg in the TV series The Mommies way back in 1995. He also appeared in Halloween Resurrection, The Ring Two and Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader. He had a recurring role on Pretty Little Liars and starred alongside Harrison Ford in the baseball biopic 42.

Perrey Reeves got her start in acting in the 1989 TV movie Mothers, Daughters and Lovers. She has appeared on quite a few iconic TV shows, such as the original Flash series in the 90s, 21 Jump Street, The X-Files and Dodge Howser. She is no stranger to genre fare, starring in Child's Play 3 as De Silva. She also starred opposite Will Ferrell in Old School.

The Jurassic Games doesn't have a release date yet. But we'll be sure to have the first trailer when it arrives, as we're pretty positive it will be glorious. How could it not be with that premise. Happy April Fools Day, and remember, this is definitely not a joke.