Frank Grillo To Star In Brad Anderson’s Creature Feature ‘The Dagon’; Independent Entertainment & CAA Launching Sales At Cannes

Frank Grillo (Kingdom) has signed on to star in the thriller The Dagon, from director Brad Anderson (The Machinist), which will soon head to Cannes. Independent Entertainment’s Head of International Sales Sarah Lebutsch will handle international at the Marché du Film, co-representing North American rights with CAA’s Nick Ogiony.

The film centers on Jack (Grillo), a father looking to control his family’s isolated rural life. When his eldest daughter comes of age, the family must confront the Dagon—the terrifying, deadly creatures that surround them every night. Pic reunites Anderson with producers Neal Edelstein (Mulholland Drive) and Mike Macari (Alone), following 2019’s Fractured, with an original screenplay penned by Peter Mattei (Outsiders). Production will kick off in the Pacific Northwest this fall.

“The Dagon is one of those rare scripts that delivers a story and characters you completely invest in, only to totally pull the rug from under you,” said Independent Entertainment’s Head of Acquisitions, Marc Hofstatter. “In Frank Grillo the team have found the perfect man for our empathetic but enigmatic lead, and Brad Anderson has consistently delivered outstanding work in this genre and beyond. We couldn’t be more excited to introduce his vision for The Dagon to our buyers.”

“The Dagon is the movie we’ve been looking to find and make for years,” said producers Edelstein and Macari in a joint statement. “Reuniting with Brad and having Frank play the lead gives us the opportunity to make the best version of this riveting thriller.”

“Frank Grillo is one of the most compelling and dynamic actors out there and I have been wanting to work with him for ages. The Dagon is tailor made for his huge talents and I couldn’t be happier to have him on board,” added Anderson. “Collaborating with Neal and Mike on our film Fractured was one of my most exciting creative experiences and I’m thrilled to be doing it again. These days especially I think we need more movies like The Dagon – elevated dark stories that can transport you, horrify you, move you and, like all great fairy tales, work as both cautionary tales and beacons of hope.”

Led by CEO Luc Roeg and COO Cora Palfrey, Independent Entertainment specializes in the development, financing, production and sales of independent feature films. Recent releases include Alice Gu’s SXSW Jury Prize Winner The Donut King, which was released around the world by Vice Media, Gavin Rothery’s debut sci-fi pic Archive, and Sacha Polak’s documentary The Art of Political Murder, executive produced by George Clooney and Dirty God. Upcoming titles include My Policeman, a production with Amazon Studios and Berlanti Productions, starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin; Pulse Films’ Untitled Lewis Capaldi Documentary; F1 documentary Hill from director Alex Holmes; and Michael Arden’s The Book of Ruth.

Grillo is represented by CAA and Management 360; Anderson by Paradigm.