17/03/2003 - The director’s next two projects: Gothika, and Babylon Babies, based on Maurice G. Dantec’s novel, starring Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci. Both to be shot in Montreal

It’s all work and no rest for French director Matthieu Kassovitz (La Haine, Le rivières pourpres) who has two films scheduled for 2003 and 2004: the Hollywood super-production Gothika with Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz, and Babylon Babies [+see also:
trailer
film profile] adapted from Maurice G. Dantec’s novel of the same name.

Shooting of the fantasy thriller Gothika, produced by Dark Castle, will start on 7 April in Montreal while the American release date has been fixed for next November. Kassovitz’s presence on this film consecrates the director and actor’s (Amelie [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Amen) present international status.

Following his American hiatus, Kassovitz will once again turn his energies to his project Babylon Babies, an all-French production involving Kassovitz’s own production company, MNP Entreprise, and Nord-Ouest Production. The project was first postponed in September, since then the shoot, which will be entirely in English, has been further postponed to January 2004. The 6 month shoot will be principally based in Montreal. Although an international cast has been hypothesized for this “futuristic techno-thriller” so far the only names attached to the project are Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci and André Dussolier.

These two feature film projects mark an acceleration in Kassovitz’s working pace, since Metisse in 1993 he has only shot 4 films. His filmography may perhaps seem short and simple, but it is one that has managed to stun the French box office counting 3.2 million viewers for Les rivières pourpres and 1.8 for La Haine.

(Translated from French)