Everybody loves a good adrenaline rush. People can get their blood pumping anywhere, whether jumping out of an airplane or simply sitting on a couch with some snacks watching a car chase. Screen Media has recently taken up the mantle with action-thrillers over their last few films. With productions like the Zac Efron led Gold (2022), the Megan Fox led Till Death (2021), and even a segment in the Jeepers Creepers universe, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2021), it's easy to say that Screen Media is all about the action and thrill these days.
This statement can only be furthered by its upcoming film 9 Bullets with acting giants Lena Headey and Sam Worthington. Here's everything we know about the movie so far.
The Plot
The upcoming, heart-pounding thrill ride will follow two stories intertwined. The first is about a tough but alluring burlesque dancer, Gypsy, who decides to hang up her sequins and dances for life as an aspiring author. The second follows a young boy, Gypsy’s neighbor, who witnesses his parents' grisly murders. Gypsy finds the boy and takes him on a road trip to escape the man who ordered his parents' execution, who also happens to be her ex-lover.
Soon the two are crossing state lines and connecting through their mutual need for a second chance and family. The story is as much about compassion and family as it is about the intense and horrible nature of the crimes. It will be action-packed but also have heart.
The Cast and Crew
The cast of this fast-paced film is led by Emmy-nominated Game of Thrones alum Lena Headey. Headey is best known for her work as Cersei Lannister in the most-watched series of all time, along with her work on the short-lived television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Headey is also slated to make her feature directorial debut this year with the thriller film Violet, which is based on the SJI Holliday novel of the same name. With her faux-American accent, she is joined by Sam Worthington, who is best known as Jake Sully in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise, Perseus in Clash of the Titans (2010), and its sequel Wrath of the Titans (2012). Other cast members include Barbara Hershey (Insidious, 2010) and Dean Scott Vasquez (In the Heights, 2021).
The upcoming film, which was shot in LA during the pandemic, was created and written by Gigi Gaston. Gaston is known for her previous work on Room 105: The Highs and Lows of Janis Joplin. She wrote and directed the play, showcasing the life of legendary singer Janis Joplin, and it was critically acclaimed and even had its run extended in 2012. About writing the film, Gaston “credits her personal relationship with legendary burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee as her biggest inspiration to pen the movie.” Lee, who was also an actress, author and playwright, wrote a 1957 memoir that was so incredibly riveting that it was later adapted into the Stephen Sondheim stage musical Gypsy, where she was portrayed by the late great Ethel Merman.
The film is produced by Cassian Elwes, Gary Pearl, and Howard C. Deshong, with executive producers Peter Graham, Mark Damon, and Tamara Birkemore. Elwes is known for his work on Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013), while Pearl is known for his work as a producer on Jane the Virgin. This is Deshong’s first producer credit. Executive producers Damon and Birkemore have previously worked together on The Ledge (2011) and have separately worked on many action-thrillers like 2 Guns (2013), Monster (2003), Lone Survivor (2013), and The Hurricane Heist (2018).
Release Date
9 Bullets, formerly known as Gypsy Moon, is set to be released to theaters and OnDemand this year on April 22, 2022.
Everything Else
There was some confusion, in the beginning, as to whether the film would get made. With Gaston being fairly new to the film industry and only having ever done stage work, many assumed that her film would simply sit on the shelf. However, Screen Media soon snatched up the rights to the film, much to Gaston’s joy. Gaston gave a statement on the newly minted partnership, stating,
“I am thrilled that Screen Media has taken this movie under their wing. Their impressive reputation with indies and their multiple affiliates will mean this movie about second chances can find a place in the hearts of viewers and give them the hope that they too can have a second chance."
Screen Media also had this to say on this film's message and its part in its production, “The film’s strong message of retribution and resurrection resonated deeply with us, as we’re sure it will with audiences.” Screen Media has also acquired many other indies that are set to release well into next year, showing that they still have many more stories to tell.