Action Xtreme, the newly-launched genre division of U.K, production and distribution banner Sovereign (Triangle of Sadness, Memoria, Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn), has announced its first feature production.
The Experiment, an action sci-fi horror conceived by British-Chinese writer-director and Action Xtreme head Chee Keong Cheung (Redcon-1), will go into production this summer at the U.K.’s Rebellion Studios.
Set in 2080 in a world recovering from catastrophic nuclear war, The Experiment will follow an elite Spec-Ops team, led by Captain Ava Stone, sent on a rescue mission into a top-secret military research facility after a rogue employee takes a group of scientists hostage.
The mission soon turns into a terrifying fight for survival as the team face a relentless and savage onslaught from countless mutated flesh-eating creatures, all the while forced into a cruel and perverse game of cat and mouse orchestrated by the hostage taker. As the team’s loyalties are tested, and the facility’s secrets are slowly revealed, it leads to a revelation that forces the team to confront their very existence and question everything they’ve ever believed.
Joining the production is director of photography Derek Rogers (Cube, Resident Evil: Apocalypse), production designer Jamie MacWilliam (The Machine, Rezort) and film editor Martin Hunter known for his work on Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket and The Shining as well as films such as Event Horizon and Mortal Kombat. The creature design is currently underway by Josef Rarach (Solomon Kane) and his company FX Creator, with the creature builds in Prague. Casting is by Dan Hubbard and Rory Okey.
Filming will take place at Rebellion Studios, a dedicated 12-acre complex that includes a 25,000 square-foot soundstage. Co-founded by brothers Jason and Chris Kingsley in 1992, Rebellion is an independent video game studio best known for the Sniper Elite, Zombie Army and Alien vs. Predator series. It also operates across games, board games, motion capture, books, comics, TV and film. It is the publisher of one the world’s largest English-language comic book catalogues, including the legendary 2000 AD, the home of Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper. The studio space was originally opened in 2018 with the aim of housing the Rogue Trooper feature film adaptation, which Duncan Jones is attached to direct.
The Experiment is produced by Sovereign CEO Andreas Roald, Cheung and Ioanna Karavela (Redcon-1). The script was written by Alistair Cave, Matthew Thomas Edwards and Oliver Morran (Every Last One of Them), from a story by Cheung.
“I am proud and excited to begin production on The Experiment with Action Xtreme, thanks to the support of Sovereign and Andreas Roald,” said Cheung. “With a captivating story, strong characters, heart-pounding action and an amazingly talented team, I cannot wait for audiences to experience this epic thrill ride.I am delighted to also have the opportunity to work with Jason Kingsley and film at the truly unique Rebellion Studios as the principal location for The Experiment and to utilise the incredible facilities on offer. I’m grateful to Jason who is an incredible supporter of independent talent and who was pivotal in making the filming at Rebellion possible.”
Added Roald: “The Experiment is Action Xtreme’s inaugural feature film project, and Sovereign are thrilled to support director Chee Keong Cheung’s atmospheric and unique action-packed vision and bring his film to a worldwide audience.”
Jason Kingsley, CEO of Rebellion Studios, said: “Chee is one of the U.K.’s most talented and exciting action film directors, and Rebellion is delighted to be working with him and Action Xtreme on The Experiment. We’ve been talking for a while to find the right project to collaborate together on and I’m very pleased we could make this one work, with hopefully many more to come. Our expansive and varied locations are the perfect setting for projects such as this. We have no doubt that it’s going to be a thrilling action-packed experience for audiences and we look forward to showcasing our unique location and extensive facilities to the world through The Experiment.”