Following the tremendous success of his directorial feature,Monkey Man, English actor and director,Dev Patel, has set his sights on a newactionfilm, one that will take him back to the Middle Ages. Dev Patel’sThe Peasantwas confirmed to be in the works earlier this year. But, the film has finally landed a distributor, one which will make fans of Patel and the action genre very happy.
Deadline recently confirmed thatThe Peasanthas been picked up for distribution by A24. The rapidly growing distribution and production studio behind action hits likeEverything Everywhere All at OnceandWarfare, acquired the rights to the film for a reported $30 million. With the deal only freshly penned, a release window forThe Peasanthasn’t been confirmed yet. The film is based off a script co-written by Dev Patel and Will Dunn, who wrote the final episode of the MCU’sMs. MarvelDisney+ series. The project was part of the 2023 Black List, an annual list of the best unproduced screenplays.Dev Patel will directThe Peasant,although it hasn’t been confirmed whether he will star in the movie or not.
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Dev Patel is no stranger to the A24 machine, starring in David Lowery’s unconventional Christmas movie,The Green Knight. Last year also saw the release ofPatel’s directorial debut,Monkey Man.The movie blended Hindu mythology with aJohn Wick-esque action thriller. Patel is sticking with the same genre forThe Peasant, this time with a healthy dose of Arthurian legends and a pinch ofBraveheart. The official Black List description forThe Peasantreads:
“In the 14th Century, a lone shepherd rages against a company of mercenary knights after they ransack his peaceful peasant community, proving that he is more than he seems.”
Dev Patel Is an Unexpected Action Star
The action genre is relatively new territory for Dev Patel. After getting his start in the British dramaSkins,Patel went on to star inSlumdog Millionaire,which catapulted his career into the limelight. The following years included hits likeLion,The Newsroom,The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the aforementionedThe Green Knight. WhileThe Green Knightfeatured some fights in small doses, it would be overstepping to call it an “action” movie. Then cameMonkey Man. As well as providing Patel with a hit for his directorial debut, the film also helped establish him as a new action leading man.
Here’s hoping that Patel also decides to star inThe Peasant, as the film’s cast hasn’t yet been revealed. Those who have seenThe Green KnightandMonkey Manwill be desperate to see Patel combine the movies into a sword-and-shield, no-holds-barred action film set in the Middle Ages.The Peasantis currently in pre-production. A production date hasn’t been revealed. Expect the movie to be released in late 2026, at the very earliest.
Outside the action genre, Dev Patel is also set to star inThe Journeyman(which sounds like a pre-emptive sequel toThe Peasant). Directed by Tarsem Singh, the film stars Patel as a pro-tennis player who gets embroiled in a match-fixing syndicate.
Source:Deadline
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