Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green Thriller ‘Just Play Dead’ Scores Key Distribution Deals Out of Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)

Highland Film Group has locked distribution deals in key international territories in all media for the upcoming thriller “Just Play Dead.”

It is headlined by Academy Award-nominee and “Pulp Fiction” star Samuel L. Jackson, as well as Eva Green of “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” and Maria Pedraza of Netflix’s “Money Heist.” The film is directed by Martin Campbell, the filmmaker behind “Goldeneye” and “Casino Royale,” the latter of which starred Green. It was written by Dan Gordon, who penned “Rambo: Last Blood.”

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Highland Film Group has sold the rights to “Just Play Dead” to Splendid Film for Germany, Originals Factory for France, Youplanet Pictures for Spain, Blue Swan Entertainment for Italy, Premier TV for Benelux, Feelgood Entertainment for Greece, Cinemundo for Portugal, Scanbox Entertainment for Scandinavia, Village Roadshow Pictures for Australia/New Zealand, CDC United Network for Latin America, VVS Films for Canada, Filmfinity for South Africa, KCS for Ex-Yugoslavia, Foxx Media Group for the Czech Republic/Slovakia, Cinetel for Hungary, Monolith Films for Poland, Karpat Media for Romania, Tanweer for Turkey, Falcon Films for the Middle East, PictureWorks for India and Airline Rights and MovieCloud for Taiwan.

“Just Play Dead” is a European co-production spearheaded by Head Gear Films’ Phil Hunt who produces alongside Gemstone Films’ Valentin Dimitrov, Sagiv Diamant, Moshe Diamant and Gaby Whyte Hart, who also serves as the casting director. “Just Play Dead” is executive produced by Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group.

Highland Film Group co-financed the film and is handling international rights to “Just Play Dead,” with CAA Media Finance overseeing domestic rights. Production was completed last fall in the Canary Islands, with Highland screening the completed film for buyers in Cannes.

The film kicks off as criminal mastermind Jack Wolfe (Jackson) is cornered by the Feds. He plans to fake his own death and claim a $30 million life insurance payout with his “grieving” wife Nora (Green). Then the couple will framing Nora’s surfer lover Chad for his murder. But Nora has a different plan. She wants to actually Jack, frame Chad and keep the money. As their lies unravel, Nora and Jack try to outsmart one another.

Highland Film Group’s current slate also includes Lisette Feliciano’s “Iron Jane” starring Eiza Gonzalez and Brandon Sklenar; Neil Burger’s action thriller “Barracuda” starring Anthony Mackie and Dafne Keen; Justin Chadwick’s action spy-thriller “The Mark” starring Jessica Alba, Tom Hopper and Elsa Pataky; “The Black Demon: Atlantis” starring Jack Kesy; Pierre Morel’s action thriller “The Good Samaritan,” starring Daisy Ridley, Josh Duhamel and Sharlto Copley; the espionage action thriller “Stratagem,” starring Noomi Rapace and Teo Yoo and Brad Anderson’s psychological thriller “Moral Capacity,” starring Dacre Montgomery, Diane Lane, Sofia Boutella and Tim Robbins.