EXCLUSIVE: Australian filmmaker Luke Sparke is set to direct the epic adventure Shadow Chasers for Steve Lee Jones’ Bee Holder Productions and Matthew Shreder’s Concourse Media. A fall shoot in Australia is planned as casting gets underway.
Shadow Chasers is a modern and fresh take on Charles Dickens’ most famous works, including notable characters like Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley. The story is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride when these characters team up with Oliver Twist and a young Dickens himself to save Old London from imminent destruction. The script is written by George Mahaffey, who is the scribe behind recently completed Bee Holder spy thriller Chief of Station starring Aaron Eckhart.
Concourse Media
Bee Holder and Concourse are producing in association with Sparke Films and the Australian producers Carmel Imrie and Carly Sparke. Concourse will be co-financing and representing worldwide rights.
“Luke breathes incredible VFX magic into fantastical looking films while telling layered and passionate stories,” Jones said. “He is an exciting new filmmaker who revels in creating high production value, and he will surely bring magic to this well-known international property.”
Shreder tells Deadline: “Dickens’ novels are still some of the most beloved and this uniquely modern take pays homage to the classic collection, making it accessible to new audiences all over the world, both young and old.”
Added Sparke: “It’s Dickens, but like you’ve never seen it before. It’s something that instantly grabbed me and drew me into this action- and mystery-filled world. It’s been exciting to be involved with the team and start to bring it to life.”
Jeremy Christensen is co-producing for Bee Holder and Grant Mohrman is executive producing for Concourse. Bee Holder and Concourse are partnered on upcoming projects The Tunnel and Midair, both fast-paced thrillers set in Budapest.
Sparke is the director and producer of the acclaimed Occupation and Occupation: Rainfall series of films.
The producers are represented by Mike Weiss at AGMB Law. Sparke is repped by Creation Management.