Principal Photography Begins on Luc Besson’s Malavita
De Niro, Pfeiffer, Jones, Agron and D’Leo to Star in EuropaCorp and Relativity’s Comedic Actioner
(Beverly Hills, Calif.) August 8, 2012 –Principal photography begins today on EuropaCorp and Relativity’s comedic actioner Malavita directed by Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter) and starring Oscar®-Winner Robert De Niro (Limitless, Heat), Oscar®-Nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (Dark Shadows, People Like Us), Oscar®-Winner Tommy Lee Jones (No Country For Old Men, Men in Black), Dianna Agron (Glee, I Am Number Four) and John D’Leo (The Wrestler, Wanderlust).
Collaborating with Besson behind the scenes is a creative below-the-line team including: director of photography Thierry Arbogast (The Fifth Element), production designer Hugues Tissandier (Taken), sound editor Ken Yasumoto (The Transporter), costume designer Olivier Bériot (Taken) and editor Julien Rey (The Lady).
The darkly comedic action film Malavita is the story of the Manzonis, a notorious mafia family who gets relocated to Normandy, France under the witness protection program. While they do their best to fit in, old habits die hard and they soon find themselves handling things the “family” way.
Filming commenced in Normandy and will continue in France at La Cité du Cinéma, where the brand new Studios de Paris are located. Additional shooting will take place in New York. The film will bow in 2013 with Relativity handling US distribution as well as working with its foreign output partners on the film’s release in the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Greece, Thailand and CIS. EuropaCorp will take on distribution in France and handle international sales.
The script is adapted by Besson from the book Badfellas by author Tonino Benacquista. Virginie Besson-Silla (From Paris with Love) from EuropaCorp is producing. Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter) is producing, while the studio's Tucker Tooley (Immortals) will executive produce.
Looking ahead, Relativity will release the edge-of-your seat thriller House at the End of the Street (in theatres September 21, 2012), the outrageous Movie 43 (in theatres January 25, 2013) and comedy 21 and Over (in theatres March 15, 2013). Relativity is currently in post-production on Scott Cooper’s gritty dramatic thriller currently-titled Out of the Furnace and is in production on the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling Safe Haven (in theatres February 8, 2013) and the corporate espionage thriller Paranoia (in theatres September 27, 2013).
EuropaCorp is currently in production on Taken 2 which it will distribute in France and with its partners in Germany, Scandinavia and Russia. Fox will handle the distribution of the film in the US and throughout its international distribution organization. The company is also in production on Mobius directed by Éric Rochant and starring Oscar®-Winner Jean DuJardin, Cécile De France and Tim Roth.
ABOUT RELATIVITY MEDIA, LLC
Relativity Media is a next-generation studio engaged in multiple aspects of entertainment, including full-scale film and television production and distribution, the co-financing of major studio film slates, music publishing, sports management and digital media. Additionally, the company makes strategic partnerships with, and investments in, media and entertainment-related companies and assets.
To date, Relativity has produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 motion pictures. Released films have accumulated more than $17 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Relativity’s recent films include: The Raven, Mirror Mirror, Act of Valor, Haywire, Immortals, Tower Heist, Bridesmaids, Limitless, Hop, Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles, Little Fockers, The Fighter, The Social Network, Salt, Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Dear John,It’s Complicated, Couples Retreat and Zombieland. Upcoming films for Relativity include: The Bourne Legacy, House at the End of the Street and 21 and Over. Thirty-nine of the company’s films have opened to No. 1 at the box office. Relativity films have earned 60 Oscar® nominations, including nods for The Fighter, The Social Network, The Wolfman, A Serious Man, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. Sixty-two of Relativity’s films have each generated more than $100 million in worldwide box-office receipts.
RelativityREAL, Relativity’s television arm, has nearly 70 projects in production, including 21 original series that are currently airing or will air in the upcoming television season including
Police Women for TLC,
Coming Home for Lifetime and
The Great Food Truck Race for Food Network. Relativity also owns and operates RogueLife, Relativity’s digital content studio is developing original content for the web and creating sustainable online platforms and communities. Relativity Music Group, a music division of Relativity, provides music supervision, music publishing catalogues and soundtrack services for films produced and/or distributed by Relativity Media and other major Hollywood studios. Relativity Sports is a fast-growing sports management company dedicated to providing high-profile athletes with a full-range of professional development services. For additional information, please visit
www.relativitymedia.com.
ABOUT EUROPACORP
EuropaCorp ranks amongst the top European film studios. Founded in 1999, EuropaCorp's different activities include production, theater distribution, home entertainment, VOD, sales of TV rights for France as well as sales of international rights, partnerships and licenses, original soundtrack production and publishing. The Group has also been producing TV drama since 2010. EuropaCorp's integrated financial model generates revenues from a wide range of sources. With films from a wide range of genres and a strong presence in the international market, the Group has produced some of the latest French worldwide record-breaking successes. EuropaCorp’s catalogue includes 500 films and the company employs 120 permanent staff members.
