EXCLUSIVE: Highland Film Group has signed on to handle worldwide sales on action-thriller Atlas King, written and directed by Nika Agiashvili (Daughter of the Wolf) and starring former UFC champion Michael Bisping, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., George Finn, Sarah Wayne Callies and Anne Winters.
The film is produced by Nika Agiashvili, along with longtime collaborator George Finn of Storyman Pictures and Michael Bisping through their Punch It Films company, which we revealed at Cannes this year.
John Edward Lee and Kevin DeWalt are executive producing along with Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group, with Giga Chikadze serving as associate producer.
Highland Film Group will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Production recently wrapped in Los Angeles.
In the film, former boxing legend Atlas King (Bisping) returns home for the funeral of his closest friend Dutch, only to be pulled back into the violent underworld he tried to escape years ago. The fight game is now ruled by ruthless crime boss Clay Emerson (Gooding Jr.), whose iron grip threatens to wipe out the last remnants of Dutch and Atlas’ former empire and seize total control of the city. To protect Dutch’s hot-headed son Tommy (Finn), a fearless young boxer determined to honor his father’s legacy, and Penelope (Wayne Callies), who struggles to hold her fractured family together, Atlas must risk it all.
“Former mixed martial artist Michael Bisping comes out swinging as the Atlas King in this gritty actioner. He is a UFC legend and Atlas King is the perfect vehicle to tap into league’s huge fan base and the MMA community,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser.
“Atlas King is a non-stop thrill ride set against the world of underground fighting. Michael Bisping is the ultimate brawler, recognized across the globe with a massive fan base, and he brought incredible intensity and authenticity to this knock-’em-dead project!” added Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier.
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