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Summit Lands McGregor/Watts Tsunami Film 'The Impossible'

by Alex Billington
May 2, 2010

Summit Entertainment recently acquired rights to distribute the next film from The Orphanage director Juan Antonio Bayona. Although we thought he'd direct that adaptation of Hater next, THR confirms that Bayona will direct The Impossible next, a thriller set to star both Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. Bayona will start shooting the film this August in Alicante, Spain before moving to Thailand in October. The screenpay was written by Orphanage writer Sergio G. Sánchez, who also hails from Spain just like Bayona. Summit acquired worldwide distribution rights to this film, except in Spain (where WB is distributing it).

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but THR says it's "based on a true story that took place during the 2004 tsunami that hit the coast of Thailand." The Playlist also found that Bayona's aim "is to recreate this natural disaster through a script with hints of horror and mystery and large doses of science fiction." So a fictional sci-fi/horror film centered around the devastating tsunami in Thailand? This already sounds better than Clint Eastwood's new film that touches on the tsunami as well. Summit may be positioning this as a strong Oscar contender sometime next year, or at least as more adult-oriented fare instead of Twilight.

This definitely sounds like a very interesting and unique, original project from a great filmmaker, and it has at least two great actors on-board, so we'll be keeping our eye on this as it continues to develop. Stay tuned!

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