The Witch‘s Anya Taylor Joy is joining Betty Buckley, Jessica Sula and Haley Lu Richardson in M. Night Shyamalan’s untitled thriller. James McAvoy, who joined the picture last week, is set to lead the Blumhouse-produced indie. Joy and Buckley have signed on for lead roles opposite McAvoy, while Sula and Richardson have been tapped for supporting parts.
Shyamalan will write and direct the small-town based thriller, which is set to shoot this November in Philadelphia, Shyamalan’s hometown. Jason Blum and Marc Bienstock will produce along with Shyamalan, while Ashwin Rajan and Steven Schneider will exec produce.
At one time Joaquin Phoenix was circling the inde scarefest, though a Signs/The Village reunion was not to be, as McAvoy is now sitting pretty as the film’s lead.
Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images
Joy has experienced a frenzy of success following her fantastic, star-making role in the colonial horror pic The Witch, which earned glorious reviews following its world premiere at Sundance. She’s represented by Troika.
Buckley is a former member of the Shyamalan troupe, having already appeared in the director’s 2008 film The Happening. Other credits include Pretty Little Liars and HBO’s The Leftovers. Stewart Talent and Parseghian-Planco rep Buckley.
Richardson made waves with her scene-chewing part in dramedy The Bronze, which made its acclaimed premiere at Sundance. She’s repped by Gersh, 3 Arts Entertainment and Coast to Coast Talent.
The untitled thriller will be Sula’s first feature credit, though she’s known for her work on the hit UK series Skins. Gersh and Waring and McKenna represent her.
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Clark Allen | Associate Editor
This news was first reported by Variety.
