Orange Studio has boarded Olivier Assayas’ “Wasp Network,” the anticipated Cuban spy thriller that stars Penelope Cruz, Gael Garcia Bernal, Edgar Ramirez and Wagner Moura.
CG Cinema’s Charles Gillibert and RT Features’ Rodrigo Teixeira are producing the film, which will start shooting on location in Cuba on Feb. 18. Adrian Guerra at the Spanish banner Nostromo (“Buried”) is co-producing.
Orange Studio, the film and TV arm of France’s leading telco group, has acquired international sales rights, as well as French distribution and pay-TV rights through OCS. CAA is representing U.S. rights. The project was previously handled by IMR.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled about this collaboration with Olivier and this group of fantastic actors,” said Teixeira, whose production credits include Luca Guadagnino’s Oscar-winning “Call Me by Your Name” and Crystal Moselle’s Sundance standout “Skate Kitchen.” “Bringing ‘Wasp Network’ to the big screen is a dream come true.”
“Wasp Network” centers on the true story of Cuban spies in American territory during the 1990s, when anti-Castro groups based in Florida carried out military attacks on Cuba and the Cuban government struck back with the Wasp Network to infiltrate those organizations. Assayas wrote the screenplay, which is based on Fernando Morais’ book, “The Last Soldiers on the Cold War: The Story of the Cuban Five,” published by Companhia Das Letras.
Andrei Kamarowsky, who heads international sales at Orange Studio, said “Wasp Network” would mark Assayas’ most ambitious film to date.
“Wasp Network” re-teams Assayas with Paris-based Gillibert, who produced “Personal Shopper,” a supernatural drama with Kristen Stewart, which earned Assayas a best director prize at Cannes. Gillibert also produced “Non Fiction,” “Clouds of Sils Maria” and “Summer Hours.”
“Wasp Network” also reunites Assayas with Ramirez, who delivered a breakthrough performance as Venezuelan revolutionary Ilich Ramirez Sanchez in Assayas’ Golden Globe-winning miniseries “Carlos.”