A. Pastor
D. Pastor
Paramount Classics has preemptively picked up a post-apocalyptic thriller penned by brothers Alex and David Pastor, with the former signed on to make his directorial debut. Plan is to put the project in production by year's end.
Deal is another signal that newly installed prexy John Lesher has changed the business plan for Paramount's indie film division. Under the direction of former co-prexies Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein, Par Classics relied almost entirely on acquisitions to fill its release schedule.
With Lesher at the helm -- along with exec veep of production and acquisitions Amy Israel -- company has announced projects to be directed by Sean Penn, Joel Coen, Paul Thomas Anderson, Noah Baumbach and Mike White, all coming directly from the division.
The Pastors' project, currently untitled, centers on four friends trying to escape a viral pandemic in the American West. They ultimately discover that they are more dangerous to each other.
This Is That's Anthony Bregman will produce. Par Classics veep of production Chad Hamilton brought the project in.
"Alex and David have written a really intelligent and visceral thriller," Lesher said. "We were very impressed with Alex's short from Sundance and are so excited to be in business with Anthony and these young filmmakers on such relevant and menacing material."
Alex Pastor won the jury prize for international short at last month's Sundance Film Festival for his Spanish entry "The Natural Route," which he wrote and directed. David Pastor wrote and directed shorts "Orson" and "Movie (Theater) Hero."
Contact the Variety newsroom at
news@variety.com