Projected Picture Works, the production company founded by Sean Penn last year, has signed on to produce “Killers & Diplomats.” The political thriller tells the true story of four American missionary women who raped and murdered in El Salvador in 1980. It follows a young U.S. diplomat who cracked the case by cultivating an improbable source — risking everything to gather the key evidence. The film is based on an article by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Raymond Bonner.
“Killers & Diplomats” is from writers Michael Nourse and John Tyler McClain, whose screenplay was featured on the 2021 Annual Black List. It was developed by producers Jordan Foley and Jonathan Rosenthal of Mill House Motion Pictures. Projected Picture Works partners John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth are producing with Penn, Foley and Rosenthal. Ray Bonner will executive produce with Yeardley Smith and Ben Cornwell of Paperclip Ltd.
CAA Media Finance is arranging financing for the project and will represent its distribution rights.
Projected Picture Works was founded by Sean Penn, John Ira Palmer, and John Wildermuth in 2021.
Mill House Motion Pictures was founded by Foley and Rosenthal in 2017. Together with Paperclip Ltd, they produced the 2018 SXSW Audience Award Winner “All Square,” starring Michael Kelly, Pamela Adlon and Josh Lucas; as well as the Magnolia released John Hyams’ thriller, ‘Alone,’ starring Jules Wilcox and Marc Menchaca. Foley and Rosenthal also served as executive producers on the Jake Scott directed, ‘American Woman,’ starring Sienna Miller.
Projected Picture Works is represented by CAA and attorney Lawrence I. Weinberg. Mill House Motion Pictures is represented by attorney Mark A. Johnson of Behr Abramson Levy Johnson.