Actors, Polson pooling talents for ‘Swimfan85’
Thanks to Kae for this :)
Friday April 06 01:56 AM EDT
Actors, Polson pooling talents for ‘Swimfan85′
By Zorianna KitLOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) — Erika Christensen (“Traffic”) is set and Jesse Bradford (“Bring It On”) and Shiri Appleby (the WB Network’s “Roswell”) are in negotiations to topline the teen psychological thriller “Swimfan85” for Australian director John Polson. Shooting is scheduled to start early next month in New York.
Michael Douglas’ Furthur Films and GreeneStreet Films Inc. are producing the project, budgeted at less than $10 million, with GreeneStreet and MM Media Capital Partners financing. No distributor has yet been set.
“Swimfan85” is a working title for the project, described in the vein of “Fatal Attraction” but set in high school with different stakes in play for the age group. Christensen will play a new girl in town who falls for a popular championship swimmer (Bradford) with aspirations for the Olympic Games (news – web sites). When he doesn’t return her affections, she becomes obsessed with him. Appleby would play Bradford’s girlfriend.
Charlie Bohl and Phillip Schneider wrote the first draft of the script, which Furthur brought to GreeneStreet. Moira Dekker (“Dark Angel (news – Y! TV)”) wrote the latest draft.
The project will mark Christensen’s first starring role in a feature, following her critically praised performance in USA Films’ “Traffic,” in which Douglas also starred. The project also will mark Polson’s North American directorial debut.
Allison Lyon Segan will produce the project for Furthur Films, her former employer, with John Penotti of GreeneStreet. Fisher Stevens, also a partner in GreeneStreet, and indie producer Joseph Caracciolo (“Cecil B. Demented”) will executive produce.
“We believe this is the first psychological thriller for a young audience that doesn’t rely on gratuitous violence and gore but is nonetheless tremendously thrilling,” Penotti told The Hollywood Reporter. “What we have tried to do is to bring elements to it that hopefully support the genre but find new ways to invigorate it with such people as Erika, Jesse, Shiri and John.”
Christensen, repped by Innovative Artists and James Levy Jacobson Management, is before the cameras as Susan Sarandon’s daughter in Fox Searchlight’s “The Banger Sisters.”
Bradford, repped by WMA, recently wrapped a role in Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Films’ “Clockstoppers” for director Jonathan Frakes.
Appleby, repped by United Talent Agency, next stars in the indie feature “A Time for Dancing.”
Polson directed the Australian features “Siam Sunset” and the short “What’s Going On, Frank?” in which he also starred. As an actor, Polson most recently starred as Billy Baird in “Mission: Impossible 2.”
Furthur Films and Segan next produce USA Films’ “One Night at McCool’s.”
GreeneStreet’s upcoming films include the Miramax Films acquisition “In the Bedroom” and the indie features “The Chateau,” “Pinero” and the Stevens-directed “Just a Kiss.”
