Oscar nominee Uma Thurman (NYMPHOMANIAC: VOL. I, KILL BILL: VOL 1-2, PULP FICTION) and Emmy and Tony Award winning actress Kristin Chenoweth (ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” Fox’s “Glee”) are set to star in the comedy THE BRITS ARE COMING, it was announced today by producers Cassian Elwes (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, Lee Daniels’ THE BUTLER), JC Chandor (A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, ALL IS LOST), Robert Ogden Barnum (MARGIN CALL, LAWLESS), and Will Clevinger (upcoming LIFE AT THESE SPEEDS, MATERNAL BONDS).
Fortitude International, co-founded by Barnum, Nadine de Barros and Daniel Wagner, will handle foreign rights to the project and will present it to buyers at the Cannes Film Market. De Barros will be supported by her sales team including Katie Irwin, VP of International and Samantha Peel, Director of International Sales and Marketing.
Slated to start shooting in July, the comedy will be directed by James Oakley who co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Michaelides. Further casting on the project is underway.
Oakley is a protégé of Chandor and previously produced and directed THE DEVIL YOU KNOW starring Rosamund Pike, Lena Olin and Jennifer Lawrence which Michaelides also wrote.
This new feature film is part of an ongoing collaboration between Fortitude International and producer Cassian Elwes. They previously collaborated on DAUGHTER OF GOD with Keanu Reeves, Ana de Armas (KNOCK KNOCK) and Mira Sorvino, which is in post-production.
In this broad comedy, an eccentric British con-artist couple, Harriet (Thurman) and Peter Fox, flee to Los Angeles to get away from paying a large debt to a notorious gangster after a failed poker game. With the gangster hot on their trail, the pair scheme to win back the money by executing a jewel theft operation involving Peter’s ex-wife and her new husband, Gabriel. Chenoweth will play Gabriel’s pill-popping assistant, Gina.
“Uma Thurman is a gifted actress who excels in all genres and will showcase her comedic skills in THE BRITS ARE COMING, a hugely entertaining and hilarious script. Kristin Chenoweth is the perfect counterpart given her undeniable wit and charm which has been on display across television, film and stage productions,” said Barnum.
Uma Thurman is known to audiences for her memorable performance in Quentin Tarantino’s cult classics KILL BILL: VOL 1 and 2 as well as the acclaimed PULP FICTION which earned her an Oscar nomination. She was last seen in Lars von Trier’s NYMPHOMANIAC: VOL. 1 and will next star in The Weinstein Company’s ADAM JONES opposite Bradley Cooper, Jamie Dornan and Sienna Miller, coming to theatres in October 2015. Her other feature film credits include THE PRODUCERS, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, SWEET AND LOWDOWN and PRIME, among many others. On television, Thurman most recently starred in NBC’s mini-series “The Slap” and won a Golden Globe for her role in HBO’s critically acclaimed film “Hysterical Blindness.”
Kristin Chenoweth is a renowned award-winning actress who has worked across television, film and theatre. She won an Emmy for her performance on the ABC series “Pushing Daisies” and was nominated for two Emmys for her guest performance on Fox’s hit series “Glee.” She also originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, which led to a Tony nomination and subsequently won the award for her role in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. She is currently appearing on Broadway in On the Twentieth Century for which she has earned another Tony Award nomination. Her recent feature film credits include 20th Century Fox’s box office hit RIO 2 and Universal’s THE BOY NEXT DOOR. This summer, Chenoweth will star in the Disney Channel’s live-action original movie DESCENDANTS, and will also receive a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of live performances on stage or in theatre. A veteran of the concert stage, Kristin has performed to sold-out concerts across the world, including Sydney Opera House and Royal Albert Hall and will resume touring later this year.
Cassian Elwes is the successful producer behind such hits as the Oscar-winning DALLAS BUYERS CLUB with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, Lee Daniel’s THE BUTLER with Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. His upcoming projects include ELVIS & NIXON with Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon in post-production and Werner Herzog’s Berlin International Film Festival selection QUEEN OF THE DESERT with Nicole Kidman, James Franco and Robert Pattinson.
Acclaimed filmmaker JC Chandor’s feature film debut MARGIN CALL led to an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His follow up film was the well-received ALL IS LOST with Robert Redford which premiered at the 2013 Cannes International Film Festival. He produced as well as wrote and directed his most recent film, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, with Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain which was named Best Film by the National Board of Review and was nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards.
Thurman is repped by Untitled Entertainment and Chenoweth by ICM Partners and Untitled Entertainment.