Nicolas Cage thriller Sand and Stones to film in Dublin, Ireland

Highland Film Group has dropped a hot title into the upcoming AFM as it prepares to launch worldwide sales on Nicolas Cage survival thriller Sand And Stones.

Production is scheduled to commence in November in Dublin, Ireland. Cage reunites with director Ben Brewer, a key visual effects artist on box office smash and awards contender Everything Everywhere All At Once and an award-winning commercials and music video director who made his feature film debut on SXSW entry The Trust starring Cage and Elijah Wood.

Cage, on a strong run following performances in Pig and The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, stars as Paul, who ekes out a fearful existence on a farm with his twin sons Thomas and Joseph in a sparsely populated future world where normal life has vanished.

When the sun sets, ferocious creatures of the night hunt and devour all living souls in their path. When Thomas makes a small mistake, the beasts gain the upper hand and come for them. In a race against time, Paul, Thomas and Joseph must execute a desperate plan for survival. Michael Nilon (Saban Films’ Braven starring Jason Momoa) wrote the screenplay.

Highland Film Group is co-financing Sand And Stones, which is being produced by Cage’s Saturn Films and Nilon, Redline Entertainment’s David Wulf (Call Jane, The Card Counter), Highland’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, and Braxton Pope (The Card Counter, The Trust). Executive producers are Aperture’s Slava Vladimirov, Jared Underwood, and Andrew Robinson.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Nicolas, a superb actor whose worldwide influence and legendary charm is second to none,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. “Sand And Stones is an exciting survival-action film, with a high-energy storyline brilliantly written by Mike. The film is packed with global appeal.”

“Ben is the perfect director to bring this electrifying and apocalyptic script to life! As the lead visual effects artist on Everything Everywhere All At Once, Ben showed us his utterly unique imagination and we cannot wait to experience his vision. Our first project with Ben was The Trust and we are looking forward to working again with this talented filmmaker,” added company COO Delphine Perrier.

Cage won the lead actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas and among his credits are Wild At Heart, Adaptation, the National Treasure films, Con Air, The Rock, Ghost Rider and Face Off. Nilon’s producing credits include Willy’s Wonderland and The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, both of which starred Cage.

Highland Film Group’s current sales slate includes William Eubank’s action thriller Land Of Bad starring Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth and Luke Hemsworth, currently shooting in Australia; Rod Blackhurst’s Blood For Dust with Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas; Adam Cooper’s crime thriller Sleeping Dogs starring Crowe; Neil LaBute’s Fear The Night with Maggie Q; and Muzzle starring Aaron Eckhart.

This article originally appeared on sister site, ScreenDaily.