Los Angeles-based film finance and production company Cristal Pictures has acquired an original pitch entitled The Steward from John Wick creator Derek Kolstad (screenwriter of the Wick franchise), it was announced by Cristal President Scott Einbinder.
Cristal will fully-finance and produce what is planned as a first installment of a potential franchise with worldwide theatrical appeal, including in China.
Kolstad is writing the screenplay for this action-thriller featuring an original central character he created. The pitch was brought into Cristal by EVP of production Nick D’Angelo and was acquired in an aggressive pre-emptive bid.
Kolstad, creator of the hugely successful John Wick franchise and screenwriter of John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2, was recently confirmed to write the screenplay for the third installment, John Wick: Chapter 3, for Lionsgate. To date, the franchise has grossed over $250 million at the worldwide box office.
States Einbinder: “Derek is a terrific writer and masterful at creating original, electrifying characters, and we cannot wait to develop this project. ‘The Steward,’ which is driven by a charismatic lead, possesses the kind of proven genre appeal that has resonated in both the domestic and worldwide markets.”
Cristal has numerous upcoming projects in various stages of development, including the action-comedy Hitman’s Bodyguard, which Cristal co-financed and co-produced with Millennium Films. The Lionsgate release stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Samuel Jackson (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises) and Salma Hayek (Savages), and is due in theaters August 18, 2017. Additionally, Cristal recently purchased the spec script Twin Blades, an actioner currently in development with Lauren Shuler Donner (Logan, X-Men, Deadpool) producing.
Cristal is fully backed by China’s powerhouse film finance/production/distribution entity East Light Media.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
