Simon Kinberg to direct 355 in the UK

Starry spy thriller 355, with Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard, is gearing up to shoot in the UK with Simon Kinberg at the helm.

The feature comes from Chastain’s NY-based production company Freckle Films and Universal Pictures, with Kinberg directing from a screenplay by Theresa Rebeck.

Best-known for his work on the X-Men franchise, Kinberg recently made his directorial debut with X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Female-led action thriller 355 is the latest in a series of big-budget inward investment projects setting up UK shoots. Netflix has Jingle Jangle with Forest Whitaker close to production while Fast & Furious 9 is also gearing up.

US studio giants are increasingly opting to base production in the UK - Disney has made several of its live-action remakes in the country over the last few years, while Marvel’s footprint is also growing.

For more on filming in the UK, head over to our production guide.

Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images.