According to Deadline, Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Emmy winner Ben Stiller and Baby Driver star Lily James have officially signed on to join Doug Liman’s forthcoming pandemic-heist comedy-drama film titled Lockdown. In addition, Stephen Merchant (The Office), Dulé Hill (The West Wing, Psych), Jazmyn Simon, and Mark Gatiss (Doctor Who) have also been cast for the film. They will be joining previously announced cast member, Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, who is set to portray one of the leading roles alongside Ejiofor.
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Lockdown will be directed by Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Edge of Tomorrow) from a screenplay written by Steven Knight (Taboo, See). This project will also mark a reunion for Hathaway and Knight, who previously directed the Oscar-winning actress in the mystery thriller Serenity.
The film is being described as a “heist movie/romantic comedy set in the backdrop of the pandemic lockdown” and the producers of the project are eying a modest $10 million or less budget. It will tell the story of how sparring couple Linda (Hathaway) and Paxton (Ejiofor) call a truce to attempt a high-risk, high-stakes jewelry heist at one of the world’s most exclusive department store, Harrods.
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Lockdown will be produced by P.J. van Sandwijk and Michael Lesslie of Storyteller Productions along with Alison Winter and Michael Lesslie. AGC Studios’ Stuart Ford and Miguel Palos are set as executive producers.
Filming is currently underway in London and is expected to wrap up quickly.
