EXCLUSIVE: Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Justin Bartha (National Treasure) are among the stars set for the upcoming comedy Nuked, which Deena Kashper wrote and is directing, in her feature debut.
The film watches as several couples gather at a luxurious estate for a cannabis-infused birthday dinner party — only to get sudden phone alerts about a nuclear missile headed straight for them. Their stress and panic unfolds into a wake-up call for everyone involved.
Others set for the pic, produced by Tandem Pictures and Hardball Entertainment, include Lucy Punch (Motherland), George Young (Falling for Christmas), Tawny Newsome (Star Trek: Lower Decks), Ignacio Serricchio (Lost in Space), Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock), Stephen Guarino (Eastsiders) and Natasha Leggero (Broke). The film being made with sustainable production practices is currently being shot in Arkansas.
Julie Christeas (Black Bear) is producing for Tandem, with Daryl Freimark (House of Darkness) of Hardball. Bartha is exec producing with Rockhill Studios’ Kerri Elder and Blake Elder, as well as Victoria Sidebotham, Jon Stockel and Danny Kashper.
“We are excited to be producing Deena Kashper’s timely and comedic debut feature film, NUKED!”, said producers Christeas and Freimark. “We are so fortunate to be working with this incredibly talented and hilarious ensemble cast. Rockhill Studios has been an indispensable local partner and we are grateful to have the support of the local crew base and the Arkansas Film Commission.”
Deena Kashper added that she’s “thrilled to be working with the best producers in the business, Julie and Daryl, with a truly phenomenal ensemble and stellar crew. It’s a dream come true.”
Camp’s Nuked casting follows the Sundance premiere and Sony Pictures Classic pick-up of the drama A Little Prayer from filmmaker Angus MacLachlah, in which she appears alongside Jane Levy, Will Pullen, David Strathairn and more. The actress known for starring in Uni’s Pitch Perfect franchise has also been seen in films including Jerry and Marge Go Large, The Lovebirds, Café Society and The Help, among others. Notable TV credits include Prime Video’s Good Girls, CBS’s The Good Wife, HBO’s True Blood and Hulu’s The Mindy Project.
Bartha is best known for roles in the Hangover and National Treasure franchises, and can currently be seen in the latter’s series continuation National Treasure: Edge of History on Disney+. He’s also recently appeared on series including Godfather of Harlem, The Accidental Wolf and Atlanta. Other notable film credits include the Nick Hamm indie Driven with Jason Sudeikis and the beloved rom-com Failure to Launch.
Kashper started her career with The Groundlings and most recently had her pilot, Baby Love, premiere at SXSW.
Christeas founded Tandem Pictures in 2010, and has under the banner produced such titles as the Mona Fastvold drama The Sleepwalker, Nicolas Pesce’s Sundance-premiering horror The Eyes of My Mother and the genre-bender Black Bear, with Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott, which also bowed at Sundance. The company’s sustainable practices on Nuked speak to its overarching mission of creating environmentally sound film sets.
Hardball Entertainment’s Freimark nabbed an Independent Spirit Award nomination for the 2018 film A Bread Factory and most recently co-created the popular Wondery podcast, Operator. He co-produced Adam Shankman’s Hairspray, produced the Neil LaBute horror House of Darkness and has exec produced titles including the Michael Tyburski drama The Sound of Silence, starring Peter Sarsgaard, Rashida Jones and Tony Revolori.
Camp is repped by CAA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and Schreck Rose Dapello; Bartha by CAA, MGMT Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Punch by the UK’s United Agents, UTA and MGMT Entertainment; Young by APA and Authentic; Newsome by CAA and Artists First; Serricchio by A3 Artists Agency and MPG Management; Pancholy by A3 and Brillstein Entertainment Partners; Guarino by Griffin Talent, 3 Arts Entertainment and Del Shaw Moonves; Leggero by CAA, Artists First and Schreck Rose; and Deena Kashper by Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
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