STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) and Troika Pictures, LLC today announced they will co-produce and co-finance the upcoming thriller, The Hive, starring Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin. Principal photography is scheduled to commence on July 6 in and around Los Angeles.
The thriller, to be directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist, Transsiberian), was written by Rich D’Ovidio (Exit Wounds, Thir13en Ghosts) and based upon a story by Rich D’Ovidio, Nicole D’Ovidio and Jon Bokencamp.
Emergency Call Center Operator Jordan (Halle Berry) takes a call from a teenage girl, Casey (Abigail Breslin), who has been abducted and carried away in the trunk of a car. The kidnapping plays out in real time as Jordan and Casey work together to track down the killer in this high stakes thriller.
The Hive is being produced by Troika’s Michael Helfant, Robert Stein and Bradley Gallo, WWE Studios’ Michael Luisi and Jeff Graup. William Gallo, Philip M. Cohen and Chip Rosenbloom are executive producers.
“The Hive is an ideal addition to WWE Studios’ slate of films given its strong award-winning cast and exciting story,” said WWE Studios president Michael Luisi. “We are looking forward to working with Brad Anderson and Troika Pictures on this picture.”
”We are very excited to partner with WWE Studios on this production,” added Stein and Helfant. “WWE has a passionate fan base and incredible marketing muscle. We look forward to working with Michael and his entire team.”
WWE will utilize its extensive global reach through its television, digital media and print assets to market the release of the film. Sierra Affinity is handling foreign pre-sales. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) has U.S. rights.
Bradley Buchanan, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated on behalf of WWE Studios.
About Troika Pictures
Troika Pictures was founded by Robert Stein and Michael Helfant to develop, finance and produce youth oriented feature films in the $10 - $30 million dollar budget range, focusing on thrillers, action and comedy genres. Troika has a “First Look” distribution deal with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions.
About WWE Studios
WWE Studios continues to strategically diversify its slate of films, which includes theatrical releases and direct-to-home premieres, under the guidance of President Michael Luisi. Upcoming films for WWE Studios include: Dead Man Down, which was co-financed with IM Global and will be distributed by FilmDistrict, starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace and directed by Niels Arden Oplev; No One Lives, which was co-produced with Pathé Films, starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay™; and cult hit The Day, which was purchased at the Toronto Film Festival and will be distributed by Anchor Bay Films, starring Dominic Monaghan, Shawn Ashmore, and Ashley Bell. In addition, WWE Studios has multipicture production deals set up with Lionsgate Films and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES WORLDWIDE ACQUISITIONS
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 159 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypicturesworldwideacquisitions.com.
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