Just a few months after having its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, David Oyelowo’s directorial debut The Water Man has officially been acquired by RLJE Films for North American and Netflix for international release!
RELATED: Ann Dowd Joins David Oyelowo in Showtime’s The President is Missing
Based on the Black List script from Emma Needell, the film sees Gunner set out on a quest to save his ill mother by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo, they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest — but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father, who will stop at nothing to find them and in the process will discover who his son really is.
“While in some ways this film is a father and son story, at its core it’s also a love letter to mothers everywhere and is dedicated to my own,” Oyelowo said in a statement. “To be able to share my directorial debut, The Water Man, with the world through the hands of RLJE Films and Netflix is a dream come true for me.”
Alongside Oyelowo, the cast for the film includes Rosario Dawson (Luke Cage), Lonnie Chavis (This is Us), Amiah Miller (War for the Planet of the Apes), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Promising Young Woman) and Maria Bello (NCIS). The film is produced by Oyelowo, Carla Gardini (Delilah), Shivani Rawat (Wander Darkly) and Monica Levinson (Golden Globe nominees Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Trial of The Chicago 7) and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple), Darren M. Demetre (Lean on Pete), Connor Flanagan (Wander Darkly) and Needell.
RELATED: CS Interview: Star David Oyelowo Talks Fantasy Family Drama Come Away
The Water Man is set to hit theaters and PVOD on May 7 and hit Netflix internationally later this year.
