It was revealed today that Michael Ealy (“Barbershop,” “Think Like a Man,” “About Last Night,” “Underworld Awakening,” “The Perfect Guy”) and Mike Colter (“Girls Trip,” “Men in Black 3,” “Luke Cage”) will star opposite Hilary Swank in Deon Taylor’s noir thriller “Fatale”.
“Fatale” centers on a married man (Ealy) who is tricked into a murder scheme by a seductive female police detective (Swank). Colter plays Ealy’s best friend and business partner, Rafe.
Tyrin Turner (“Menace II Society,” “Belly,” “Meet the Blacks”) has also been cast in a supporting role.
Deon Taylor (Screen Gems’ upcoming “The Intruder,” “Traffik,” “Supremacy” “Off Script”) is directing “Fatale” and also producing the film with his Hidden Empire Film Group partners Roxanne Avent and Robert F. Smith.
David Loughery (“Lakeview Terrace,” “Obsessed”) wrote the screenplay. Two-time Oscar(r) nominee Dante Spinotti (“L.A. Confidential,” “Heat”) will be the DP, marking his third collaboration with Taylor.
The film begins shooting in Los Angeles today. Endeavor Content will handle worldwide sales of the film. Roxanne Avent is overseeing the production for Hidden Empire Film Group, which is fully financing the movie.
“Fatale” marks the second collaboration between Ealy and Taylor. Ealy will next be seen on the big screen in the Deon Taylor directed psychological thriller “The Intruder” (Sony Screen Gems) – about a young married couple who buy a beautiful Napa Valley home only to find that the man they bought it from refuses to let go of the property, and he slowly terrorizes them. Dennis Quaid plays the seller while Ealy and Meagan Good play the couple who discover that the motivated seller has no intention of vacating the premises.
Said Taylor, “In landing these two Mikes, Ealy and Colter, we have the great on-screen complement to Hilary Swank that we needed because this story absolutely requires it. Working with Michael (Ealy) on my last film ‘The Intruder’ allowed me to see and grasp the depth to which he can go for a performance – and I can attest to how impressive it is. I’ve wanted to work with Mike (Colter) for a long time so I’m glad we have the right project, at the right time, to bring him in!”
It’s been a busy year for Deon Taylor. Prior to “The Intruder,” Taylor produced, with Jamie Foxx, the comedy feature “All-Star Weekend,” starring Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Gerard Butler, Eva Longoria, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Szohr – directed by Jamie Foxx.
Taylor also wrapped, under his new Dark Circus banner, the “Meet the Blacks” sequel “The House Next Door” starring Mike Epps, Katt Williams, Rick Ross, Danny Trejo, Bresha Webb, Zulay Henao, Andrew Bachelor (aka ‘King Batch’), and comedians Lil Duval, Michael Blackson and Tyrin Turner.
His latest film “Traffik”, the intense sex trafficking thriller starring Paula Patton, Omar Epps, William Fichtner and Roselyn Sanchez, debuted in the top ten at the boxoffice earlier this spring (Lionsgate / Codeblack).
Taylor’s projects are financed by his longtime business partner and lead investor, Robert F. Smith. Robert Smith founded Vista Equity Partners in 2000 and is the firm’s Managing Principal. Vista has consistently ranked as one of the top Private Equity Firms in the world over the past 10 years with over $30 billion in capital under management.
Michael Ealy is represented by the Gersh Agency. Mike Colter and Deon Taylor are represented by WME.
