Samuel L. Jackson is in final negotiations to star in Facing East’s $130 million science-fiction movie “Inversion,” Variety has learned exclusively.
“Inversion,” directed by Peter Segal, is set to begin principal photography on Feb. 27 at Babelsberg Studios in Berlin, and will continue in Shanghai and Chicago.
The talks with Jackson were disclosed Wednesday at the American Film Market, where Foresight Unlimited is handling international markets.
Jackson will portray a senior Homeland Security investigator. Chinese actress Liu Yifei (“Once Upon a Time,” “The Forbidden Kingdom”) has also joined the cast.
Travis Fimmel has been attached since May to portray a street-wise American con man who teams with a young Chinese physicist (Liu) as they race against the clock to save the earth from a terrifying loss of gravity. Jackson’s character, believing the two are the cause of the inversions of gravity, chases them across two continents trying to stop further destruction.
Segal will direct from a screenplay written by Paul Haggis, David Arata, and Bragi Schut.
Producers are Facing East’s Philip Lee and Markus Barmettler, alongside Michael Nozik. Executive producers are Michael Ewing (Segal’s longtime producing partner), Jim Skotchdopole, and Foresight Unlimited’s Mark Damon. The project was first introduced at Cannes in 2014.
Martin Laing is on board as production designer. Sheena Duggal is the visual effects supervisor and Jack Geist is the VFX producer.
Jackson recently wrapped production on “Kong: Skull Island” for Warner Bros. and “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” for Lionsgate. He can currently be seen in “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
Jackson is represented by ICM Partners and Anonymous Content. Liu is repped by Chen Jinfei of Hong Xing Wu Entertainment & Media. Fimmel is repped by Paradigm and Chris Huvane of Management 360.
Samuel L. Jackson to Star in Sci-Fi Film ‘Inversion’ (EXCLUSIVE) | Variety