John David Washington Is ‘Born To Be Murdered’ In Thriller Acquired By Netflix
John David Washingtonis having a killer year. After becoming the breakout star of Spike Lee’sBlaKkKlansmanin 2018, Washington nabbed a role in the Christopher Nolan tentpoleTenet, which hit theaters (to somewhat divisive results both critically and commercially) this year. And now Washington is continuing that killing streak with a thriller produced byLuca Guadagnino,Born to Be Murdered,which has just been picked up by Netflix.
According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has acquired the global rights toBorn to Be Murdered, a thriller starring John David Washington and produced by Luca Guadagnino that is set to be the English-language debut of directorFerdinando Cito Filomarino, who worked as a second unit director on Guadagnino’sCall Me By Your Name,A Bigger Splash"andSuspiria.Alicia Vikander(Earthquake Bird),Boyd Holbrook(Logan), andVicky Krieps(Phantom Thread) are also set to star.
Written byKevin Rice,Born to be Murderedis set in Athens and the Epirus region of Greece and follows “a vacationing couple, played by Washington and Vikander, who fall prey to a violent conspiracy with tragic consequences.”
The movie’s got a vague synopsis but a great title that recalls that of Alfred Hitchcock suspense films. It’s too general a description to really be certain thatBorn to Be Murderedtakes cues from Hitchcock, but that’s what I’m deciding, since Hitchcock is seeing renewed appreciation — both as a source of inspiration (see:Parasite, etc.) and in our ongoing rebootmania, with Netflix’s recent adaptation ofRebecca.
Guadagnino is producingBorn to Be Murderedalong with and Morabito for their Frenesy Films, as well as Francesco Melzi d’Eril and Gabriele Moratti for MeMo with Raicinema. Rodrigo Teixeira is executive producing for RT Features. While this is set to be Filomarino’s English-language debut, the filmmaker (who is related to Italian auteur Luchio Visconti) already made his feature directorial debut with the 2015 biopicAntonia.
And Filomarino has quite a line-up for his first English-language film. Washington, like I noted before, is having a banner year — having recently starred in Nolan’sTenet, and will be seen soon in the upcomingMalcolm & Marieopposite Zendaya, which was filmed in quarantine and also acquired by Netflix. washington has also recently joined the cast of David O. Russell’s next film opposite Margot Robbie and Christian Bale. Vikander, Holbrook, and Krieps are all solid talents, with Krieps especially impressing inPhantom Thread.
