Last week, it was announced that Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter) has signed on to star in the serial killer thriller The Mannequin for director Sean Byrne. Now, Deadline has broken the news that Leo is being joined in the cast by Lili Reinhart of Riverdale and Forbidden Fruits.
Details on the characters Leo and Reinhart will be playing have not been revealed, but The Mannequin has been described as “largely a two-hander,” so we can expect to see the two actresses share a lot of scenes.
Scheduled to start filming this summer, The Mannequin is described as being “an original, violent and blistering high-stakes thriller” of the serial killer procedural variety. Unfortunately, an official synopsis isn’t available at this time.
Byrne will be directing the film from a screenplay he wrote himself. Byrne is a director whose career I’ve been keeping an eye on for a long time – which hasn’t been too difficult to do, because he doesn’t make movies nearly as often as I would like. He made his feature directorial debut in 2009 with The Loved Ones, the story of the worst prom night this side of Carrie. His second feature didn’t come along until 2015, the haunted house movie The Devil’s Candy. Then we had to wait a decade for his third movie, Dangerous Animals, which blended serial killer thrills with shark thrills. Thankfully, it looks like we won’t have to wait too long for his fourth feature.
William Woods and Maddy Falle are producing the film for Page 12 Pictures Inc. while Kristian Moliere does the same for Triptych Pictures. Executive producers include Steven Schneider, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Charlie Kemball, and Jed Benedict for Studiocanal’s Sixth Dimension. Head Gear Films packaged the project with Schneider’s Room 101.
Byrne provided the following statement: “After wading through bloodied waters together on Dangerous Animals, I’m thrilled to be alongside my friends at Studiocanal’s Sixth Dimension. I can’t wait to unleash The Mannequin on the big screen. There have been other serial killer procedurals, but this is its own thrillingly deranged beast — twisted, intense, propulsive, and anchored by a fearless performance from Melissa Leo, building to a shocking twist you won’t see coming. It’ll put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there.“
He had this to say about casting Reinhart: “Lili has such a grounded, authentic screen presence that’s a captivating mixture of vulnerability, independence, intelligence, and courage. I honestly can’t think of a more committed and immersive screen pairing than Lili and the equally fearless Melissa Leo to take on a serial killer like no other.“
Does The Mannequin sound interesting you? Share your thoughts on this Sean Byrne / Melissa Leo / Lili Reinhart thriller project by leaving a comment below.