ARTNEWSPRESS: The Hollywood Reporter has brought word that The Birthday Cake from musician Jim Giannopoulos has already begun putting together an ensemble cast. Doctor Sleep‘s Ewan McGregor, Evil Dead‘s Shiloh Fernandez and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Val Kilmer have signed on to star in the upcoming mob drama.
Co-written by Giannopoulos, Fernandez and Diomedes Raul Bermudez and directed by Giannopoulus, the film follows a young man named Giovanni (Fernandez) who reluctantly accepts his family’s traditional task of bringing a cake to his Uncle Angelo (Kilmer), a mob boss, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his father’s death. However, his life is changed forever as he witnesses a murder that will lead down a path to learning the truth behind his father’s murder.
McGregor’s role is currently unknown for the film, but rounding out the cast is Pretty Little Liars alum Ashley Benson, Goodfellas star and The Sopranos vet Lorraine Bracco, Ewan’s daughter Clara McGregor and Gotham vet David Mazouz.
Prior to filmmaking, Giannopoulos is best-known for his work as a musician with Miley Cyrus, A$AP Rocky, Kid Cudi and more, while also working on various short films. The film will be produced by Fernandez, Bermudez and Siena Oberman, while Jamin O’Brien and Jason Weinberg will executive produce.
McGregor, who is well-known for his roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel franchise and the drug-fueled British dark comedies Trainspotting and its sequel, most recently wrapped filming on the DC Extended Universe spin-off Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) in which he stars as villain Black Mask and will next be seen in the highly-anticipated adaptation of the Stephen King novel Doctor Sleep, the sequel to the acclaimed The Shining that is set to hit theaters on November 8.
Fernandez found early success with roles in the short-lived CBS apocalyptic drama Jericho and the horror romance Red Riding Hood before landing a lead role in the 2013 horror reboot of the classic Evil Dead franchise. Kilmer had a prolific career through the ’80s and ’90s, starring in hits including Top Gun, Tombstone, The Doors, Heat and Batman Forever, with the 2000s seeing a mixed bag of projects from the acclaimed 2005 neo-noire comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to the critical and commercial 2011 failure Twixt. He will next be seen reprising his role from the original Top Gun in the 2020 sequel Maverick, which is set to hit theaters on June 26, 2020 and the upcoming Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, set to hit screens on October 15.
Production is set to begin on The Birthday Cake this fall in New York City.
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