Casting Heats Up On Relativity Media’s Currently Titled OUT OF THE FURNACE

Relativity Media has closed deals with Oscar®-winner Christian Bale (The Fighter), Oscar®-nominated Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford), Zoe Saldana (Avatar) and Oscar®-nominated Sam Shepard (Safe House) to star as the lead roles in the upcoming gripping and gritty drama currently titled OUT OF THE FURNACE, written and directed by the critically-acclaimed Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), it was announced today by Relativity’s Co-President, Tucker Tooley. Bale will star as older brother Russell Baze in the film alongside Affleck who will play the role of younger brother Rodney Baze Jr. Saldana has also been cast as Bale’s love interest Lena Warren and Shepard will play Red, Russell and Rodney Baze’s uncle. Production is set to begin in Braddock, Pennsylvania later this month.

Relativity Media will release the film theatrically in the U.S. Red Granite, the Los Angeles based film production, finance and international sales company has acquired foreign rights outside of the U.S. and will handle international sales. Red Granite International President Danny Dimbort and Co-President Christian Mercuri will begin shopping the film to buyers in Cannes next month.

In making the announcement, Tooley said, “This is a meaty script with characters as strong as they are complex, and we needed powerhouse actors who complement the story. Christian, Casey, Zoe and Sam each approach everything they do with heart and conviction. We can’t wait to see what each of them brings to this film,” says Tooley.

The film is a drama about fate, circumstance, and redemption. Russell and his younger brother live in the economically depressed Rust Belt, and have always dreamed of escaping and finding better lives. But when a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in prison, his brother is lured into one of the most violent and ruthless crime rings in the Northeast – a mistake that will almost cost him everything. Once released, Russell must choose between his own freedom, or risk it all to seek justice for his brother.

Producing are Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar) and Jennifer Killoran (The Ides of March) alongside Scott Free’s Ridley Scott (The Grey), Tony Scott (Man on Fire) and Michael Costigan (American Gangster) as well as Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter).

Bale and Affleck were both represented by WME in the deals. Saldana and Shepard were both represented by ICM in the deals.

ABOUT RELATIVITY MEDIA

Relativity Media is a next-generation studio engaged in multiple aspects of entertainment, including full-scale film and television production and distribution, the co-financing of major studio film slates, music publishing, sports management and digital media. Additionally, the company makes strategic partnerships with, and investments in, media and entertainment-related companies and assets.

To date, Relativity has produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 motion pictures. Released films have accumulated more than $17 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Relativity’s recent films include: Mirror Mirror, Act of Valor, Haywire, Immortals, Tower Heist, Bridesmaids, Limitless, Hop, Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles, Little Fockers, The Fighter, The Social Network, Salt, Despicable Me, Grown Ups, Dear John, It’s Complicated, Couples Retreat and Zombieland. Upcoming films for Relativity include: The Raven, American Reunion, House at the End of the Street and The Bourne Legacy. Thirty-nine of the company’s films have opened to No. 1 at the box office. Relativity films have earned 60 Oscar® nominations, including nods for The Fighter, The Social Network, The Wolfman, A Serious Man, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, American Gangster and 3:10 to Yuma. Sixty-two of Relativity’s films have each generated more than $100 million in worldwide box-office receipts.

ABOUT RED GRANITE

Red Granite Pictures is a Los Angeles based film production, finance, and international sales company headed by Founder, Chairman and CEO Riza Aziz and Vice Chairman Joey McFarland.

The company is set up to produce three to four feature films a year and actively looks to acquire negative pick-ups and third party productions for sales and distribution through its international sales division, Red Granite International.

The next film for Red Granite is “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which the company is producing with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Alexandra Milchan’s EMJAG Productions. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jordan Belfort – the ‘Wolf of Wall Street.’ Martin Scorsese will direct the film which chronicles Belfort’s dramatic rise and fall on Wall Street, along with his hard-partying lifestyle and tumultuous personal life, which included drug and alcohol addiction.

The company most recently teamed with Point West Productions and Locomotive to produce the romantic comedy “Friends with Kids” (Roadside / Lionsgate release) starring Jon Hamm, Megan Fox, Jennifer Westfeldt, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph, Ed Burns and Chris O’Dowd.