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Ethan Hawke Stars in Wilderness Gold Thriller
19 Mar
Summary
- Vertical acquired North American rights to Ethan Hawke's western thriller.
- The film is set in 1933 Oregon, involving a work camp and a gold smuggling plot.
- Padraic McKinley makes his feature directorial debut with this film.
Vertical has secured the North American distribution rights for the western thriller "The Weight," starring Ethan Hawke. The film, set in Oregon during 1933, centers on Samuel Murphy, who is forcibly sent to a harsh work camp and offered early release if he undertakes a perilous gold smuggling mission.
Directed by Padraic McKinley in his feature directorial debut, "The Weight" features a script by Matthew Booi, Matthew Chapman, and Shelby Gaines. The ensemble cast includes Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, and Sam Hazeldine. McKinley, an editor known for "The Good Lord Bird," collaborated with Hawke to shape the film's narrative.
Hawke delivers a stirring performance as a stoic character, a role that emerged from discussions about adventure and action films from the 1960s through the 1980s. The script underwent significant revisions, with Shelby Gaines penning the final version that impressed both Hawke and Russell Crowe, leading to rapid production.
The film's production timeline was notably efficient, with pre-production to final wrap taking approximately four-and-a-half months, after a five-year development period. The title "The Weight" was inspired by a song by The Band.
