The Hollywood Reporter gave an update on 355, an upcoming female-led spy thriller.
Beijing’s Golden Title will replace Huayi Brothers on the financing end of things. 355 nearly fell apart following star Fan Bingbing’s tax evasion scandal in China. After Fan, who is China’s biggest female star, went missing in the middle of a government crackdown on celebrity tax dodgers, Huayi Bros. walked away from the project. Originally, they had put up $20 million for distribution rights in China, matching Universal‘s $20 million for U.S. rights. Golden Title is putting up less than $20 million, likely due to Fan’s newly uncertain status in China’s enormous film market.
So while the Simon Kinberg-helmed film is back on track, French star Marion Cotillard has pulled out, citing personal reasons. Fan, Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o and Penélope Cruz remain attached. Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Edgar Ramirez (Point Break) have also joined the film.
Filming is set to start in Paris this July.
What do you think of a female-led spy thriller with this A-list cast? Sad to see Cotillard depart the project?
