Generally speaking, I love Paul Schrader’s movies. Not just the ones he’s famous for authoring (TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL), but the one’s he’s directed as well. For my money, his feature debut BLUE COLLAR (1978) is one of the best treatises on lower-middle class America…a subject never more pertinent than today.
Anyway, you can see why I’m so excited to say Schrader’s new genre film, THE JESUIT, is moving full steam ahead. Word is Maya Entertainment will produce and distribute the violent revenge yarn, which stars Michelle Rodriguez, Willem Dafoe, Paz Vega (below) and Manolo Cardona.
Here’s a synopsis:
In The Jesuit, a man comes out of prison in south Texas: “Neto” wants only a new life, far removed from his violent past. Just when it seems he might regain his wife and ten-year old son, she is brutally murdered and the boy kidnapped. Neto must abandon his dream of happiness in an explosive return to methods that made him the most feared man in Texas, and earned him the nickname…the Jesuit.
About the agreement, both sides offered a statement:
“We are honored to be working with Paul Schrader, who is an incredibly accomplished and critically lauded filmmaker,” said Moctesuma Esparza of Maya Entertainment.” We’re proud to be going into the AFM with this exciting new title for Maya.” Schrader says “I’m very excited to be working with my old friends Moctezuma Esparza and Sergio Aguero. Maya is a stone vital company and we’re eager to get this hard-edge revenge story going south of the border.”
A hard-edged Mexican revenge picture? From Paul Schrader? With Dafoe in the lead? Not much else you need, is there?