Gaumont and Wild Bunch have announced that they will fund and distribute the next directorial effort from Danish mastermind Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, Bronson) entitled The Neon Demon, with principal photography set to begin in the first quarter of 2015 in Los Angles.
Refn co-wrote the screenplay with newcomer Mary Laws, described as a horror tale with a young female-led cast, and he describes the origin of its story with typical romanticism:
“One morning I woke and realized I was both surrounded and dominated by women. Strangely, a sudden urge was planted in me to make a horror film about vicious beauty. After making ‘Drive’ and falling madly in love with the electricity of Los Angeles, I knew I had to return to tell the story of ‘The Neon Demon.’ This movie is a manifestation of the strong ties between us and will lead to many more adventures.”
Although the cast will be revealed later this year, Refn’s regular collaborators will be on board, including editor Matthew Newman and composer Cliff Martinez. Acclaimed French cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, who was Oscar-nominated for Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster, will shoot the film.
With his last ultraviolent picture Only God Forgives having polarized audiences, Refn has been courting several genre films, including I Walk With the Dead and the haunted hotel movie/Blood List honoree The Bringing (which he dropped out of) as well as producing a remake of William Lustig’s Maniac Cop.
With a tagline “The Wicked Die Young,” The Neon Demon is aiming for a 2016 release.
