Zo Kravitzs Pussy Island Movie Lands at MGM, Naomi Ackie to Star

 Posted on July 23, 2024  |  5 minutes  |  883 words  |  Reinaldo Massengill

MGM landed global distribution rights to “Pussy Island,” Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, which has also tapped BAFTA winner Naomi Ackie as its lead.

Ackie will join Channing Tatum, who was previously announced to star in the project, written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum.

Bruce Cohen, Kravitz, Tiffany Persons and Tatum’s Free Association will produce the movie, with Garret Levitz overseeing for Free Association.

“I am honored to be partnering with an iconic studio such as MGM for this project,” Kravitz said. “Their commitment to the art of storytelling is something that I truly admire and respect. Naomi Ackie is an extraordinary talent and we can’t wait to see her bring this role to life.”

Ackie will play Frida, a young, clever, Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King (Tatum). When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an intimate gathering on his private island, she is ready for a journey of a lifetime. Despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s more to this island than meets the eye. Something she can’t quite put her finger on. Something terrifying.

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Ackie most recently starred in Season 3 of “Master of None,” where she also served as an executive producer, and she is next set to play Whitney Houston in director Stella Meghie’s highly-anticipated biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” The actor will also star in Malachi Smyth’s “The Score.”

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MGM acquired the buzzy project in what’s described as a highly competitive situation.

“We are incredibly excited to be part of Zoe’s directorial debut,” Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group chairman, and Pamela Abdy, MGM’s Film Group president, said announcing the acquisition. “This is a timely and insightful thriller, with a biting humor that we anticipate audiences will be utterly captivated by. ‘Pussy Island’ is going to be an epic beginning to Zoë’s directing career.”

FilmNation handled international rights to the project, with CAA Media Finance representing domestic rights. Atwater Capital helped to finance development of the script.

To note, MGM also has a first-look feature film production deal with Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan’s Free Association, and the company is releasing Tatum and Carolin’s directorial debut “Dog” in 2022.

Ackie is represented by CAA, Hamilton Hodell, and Range Media Partners. Kravitz is repped by CAA and Untitled. Tatum is repped by CAA.

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