It’s Play Or Die In ‘CURS>R’ From The Producer Of Greenland & His Dark Materials

June 7, 2021

Written by Kelli Marchman McNeely

Kelli Marchman McNeely is the owner of HorrorFuel.com. She is an Executive Producer of "13 Slays Till Christmas" which is out on Digital and DVD and now streaming on Tubi. She has several other films in the works. Kelli is an animal lover and a true horror addict since the age of 9 when she saw Friday the 13th. Email: horrorfuelinfo@gmail.com

 
 
 
Producer and financier Anton (Greenland, “His Dark Materials,” The Night House) has just announced that its latest production, the feature film CURS>R, has now wrapped principal photography in the U.K.
 
A dark twist on the ‘80s gaming obsession, the horror-thriller stars Asa Butterfield (“Sex Education,” Greed, Hugo), Iola Evans (“The 100,” “Carnival Row”), and Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes, The Gentleman, Happy Go Lucky). The film also features horror icon Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street). Rounding out the cast is Angela Griffin (“The Hollow,” “White Lines,” “Harlots”), Kate Fleetwood (Beirut, Deliverers, Star Wars: Episode VII), Ryan Gage (The Hobbit, “The Musketeers”, “Endeavor”) and Joe Bolland (“The Trial of Christine Keeler”).
 
“In pursuit of an unclaimed $125,000 prize, a broke college dropout (Iola Evans) decides to play an obscure, 1980s survival computer game. But the game curses her, and she’s faced with dangerous choices and reality-warping challenges. After a series of unexpectedly terrifying moments, she realizes she’s no longer playing for the money, but for her life. The game locks her into an inescapable cycle of mind-bending horror. Stopping is not an option. It’s play or die!”
 
CURS>R is directed by Toby Meakins (Breathe, Floor 9.5) and written by Simon Allen (‘The Watch’, ‘Das Boot’, ‘The Musketeers’).
 
Anton’s Sebastien Raybaud and John Zois produce alongside Stigma Films’ Matthew James Wilkinson (Yesterday, Days of the Bagnold Summer, Amulet),  Simon Allen, Liza Glucoft, and Nick Angel (Yesterday, Days of the Bagnold Summer) are executive producers. Holly Hubsher is also overseeing the project on behalf of Anton. Shot on location in London, the film participated in the U.K. government Film & TV Production Restart Scheme.
 
Anton’s John Zois stated: “Toby is a visionary in the horror space with an innate genius for both original storytelling and the stark, eerie palates he creates on screen. Simon, Toby, and Matt have worked to create something uniquely thrilling for horror fans.
 
 
Stigma Films’ Matthew James Wilkinson added: “Incredibly excited to be working on such an original and terrifying concept as CURS>R – taking modern horror and twisting it to pit our hero against 80s nostalgia! Simon, Toby and I have enjoyed working with Anton to bring this idea to the screen.”
 

 
Asa Butterfield (pictured above, Photo credit: James Lee Wall) made his on-screen debut at the age of eight in After Thomas (2006). In 2007 he featured in Son of Rambow alongside Will Poulter. The following year Asa starred in the film adaptation of John Bayne’s novel by the same name, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas which is both beautiful and heart-wrenching. His leading role as Bruno earned him critical acclaim and a nomination for the British Independent Film Award’s Most Promising Newcomer. In 2011, he starred in Martin Scorsese’s adventure film Hugo and in 2015, a leading role in James Graham’s, A Brilliant Young Mind. Asa’s further film and TV credits include: Greed (2019), Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018), Time Freak (2018), Then Came You (2018), Journey’s End (2017), The Space Between Us (2017), Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016), Ender’s Game (2013), The Wolfman (2010), Nanny McPhee Returns (2010) and Merlin (2008). Asa is arguably best known globally for his leading role as Otis Milburn in the Netflix worldwide phenomenon Sex Education, set to return for a third season later this year. Asa is represented by Jane Epstein at Independent Talent Group and Andrea Weintraub and Tracy Brennan at CAA.  

 
 
Eddie Marsan is one of the most acclaimed and versatile actors working today. He is the recipient of two BIFA Awards for his roles in Mike Leigh’s features Vera Drake and in Happy Go Lucky. His roles range from independent films including Tyrannosaur, Still Life, World’s End, and White Boy Rick to blockbuster features such as the Sherlock Holmes franchise, Gangs Of New York, V For Vendetta, Mission Impossible 3, Deadpool, and Atomic BlondeHis multiple television credits include the award-winning BBC television adaptations “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell”, “Little Dorrit,” “Red Riding,” “Southcliffe.” and a starring role in Showtime’s TV series “Ray Donovan.” Marsan recently starred in Adam McKay’s Vice, Guy Ritchie’s The Gentleman, and Hobbs and Shaw. Upcoming projects include the four-part BBC thriller “Ridley Road”, “The Pact”, “The Power” and Guy Ritchie’s “Wrath of Man”. Marsan is represented by Alex Irwin with Markham Frogatt & Irwin and UTA. 
 

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