TORONTO, CANADA (July 10, 2019) – Black Fawn Films and Breakthrough Entertainment Inc., the filmmaking team behind such genre hits as I’ll Take Your Dead, Let Her Out, Bite, and Antisocial have started production on their newest collaboration, The Oak Room. Principal photography is set to commence in Burlington, Ontario this July. The film stars RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad), Peter Outerbridge (Suicide Squad, V-Wars), and Ari Millen (Orphan Black, I’ll Take Your Dead).
After taking some time off after his last film, director/producer Cody Calahan teamed up with writer Peter Genoway to adapt Genoway’s stage play The Oak Room into a feature length film. The original stage production took home first place honors at the Toronto Fringe Festival in the prestigious New Play Contest category while also being selected as a Patron’s Pick (Theatre Passe Muraille’s top box office earner). The play was also nominated for Best Independent Production by broadway.com.
“This script is unlike anything we’ve ever done before,” explains Calahan. “The Oak Room is a northern gothic thriller that revolves around the consistent balancing act between power and weakness.”
The thriller sees actor RJ Mitte, of Breaking Bad fame, in the lead role opposite character actor Peter Outerbridge and rising star Ari Millen. “I’m excited to be joining Breakthrough Entertainment and Black Fawn Films on this movie The Oak Room,” states Mitte. “I can’t wait to see their vision come to life for this interesting plot.”
The Oak Room marks another ambitious and exciting departure for Black Fawn Films. The Canadian filmmakers recently completed an eight-picture horror deal with Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. As a character driven, dramatic thriller, The Oak Room will be a highly anticipated release in 2020.
“I’ve always wanted to make a film that was dialogue driven but also one that could blend the genres of drama, thriller and neo-noir together,” explains Calahan. “It really feels like my first film again because I feel like we have something to prove to both ourselves and the audience. This film is certainly going to be challenging for our filmmaking team but we’re confident that this story will deliver a unique and memorable experience.”
“The Oak Room is a classic thriller/mystery movie with a dash of horror. It’s The Usual Suspects meets Frailty and features a stellar cast,” states Breakthrough Entertainment Inc.’s Ira Levy. “Breakthrough Entertainment is proud to partner again with Black Fawn’s brilliant filmmakers, Cody Calahan and Chad Archibald. This is our 10th film together and it promises to be the best one yet!”
Synopsis:
During a raging snowstorm, a drifter returns home to the blue-collar bar located in the remote Canadian town where he was born. When he offers to settle an old debt with a grizzled bartender by telling him a story, the night’s events quickly spin into a dark tale of mistaken identities, double crosses and shocking violence. You’re not going to believe what happened at The Oak Room…
Cast and Crew:
RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad), Peter Outerbridge (Suicide Squad, V-Wars), Ari Millen (Orphan Black, I’ll Take Your Dead, Darken), Martin Roach (The Shape of Water, Diary of the Dead, The Expanse), David Ferry (The Boondock Saints, Legion, Hell on Wheels), Nicholas Campbell (Black Mirror, Antiviral, Da Vinci’s Inquest), and Amos Crawley (The Virgin Suicides, Private Eyes).
Chad Archibald, Cody Calahan, and Ari Millen will be producing the film, with cinematography by Jeff Maher who is also co-producing the project. Christopher Giroux will be acting as associate producer on the film while Ira Levy, Michael McGuigan, and Nat Abraham will be executive producing.
The Oak Room will be made with the support of partnerships with William F. Whites, Panavsion Canada, and Redlab Digital.
