Robert Pattinson and Robert De Niro Headline Cast Of IDOL’S EYE

Benaroya Pictures has announced today that they are now on board to produce and finance director Olivier Assayas’ IDOL’S EYE, with a confirmed cast that includes Robert Pattinson and Robert De Niro.

Charles Gillibert developed and produced the project with CG Cinema, Bluegrass Films’ Scott Stuber, Film 360’s Scott Lambert, Alexandra Milchan and Michael Benaroya, with Ben Sachs executive producing for Benaroya Pictures. The film is scheduled to begin principal photography in October in Chicago and Toronto.

The plot elements are currently under wraps, but it has been described as a sophisticated, heist action/thriller.

International Film Trust, which was co-founded by Benaroya, will be handling foreign sales of the title heading into the summer and the Toronto International Film Festival under the helm of IFT President, Christian De Gallegos. CAA, which arranged financing for the film, will represent domestic rights along with WME.

Assayas had the English-language drama CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA playing in competition in Cannes. The film stars Juliette Binoche, Kristin Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz and was produced by Gillibert’s GC Cinema.

Founded in 2013, CG Cinema is geared towards the development of directors and focused on international projects including Mia Hansen Love’s film EDEN, and Jonas Cuaron’s DESIERTO. Between 2006 and 2012 while at mk2, Gillibert produced and supervised distribution and sales of more than 20 films, including titles from Walter Salles, Abdellatif Kechiche, Xavier Dolan, Abbas Kiarostami and Gus Van Sant.

Michael Benaroya, known for high-end indie fare, has numerous upcoming projects including the highly-anticipated QUEEN OF THE DESERT directed by Werner Herzog and starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson and Damien Lewis, and YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR OWN VELOCITY starring Daniel Radcliffe, based on the Dave Eggers’ best-selling book, to be directed by Peter Sollett. IFT has sold out all foreign territories on VELOCITY despite a 2015 start date.

Additional projects in various stages of production include CELL, the Stephen King adaptation which is in post-production and stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. The company also has CYMBELINE starring Ed Harris, Ethan Hawke and Mila Jovovich in post-production.

Benaroya’s film credits include KILL YOUR DARLINGS, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DaHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, and Elizabeth Olsen, which was released domestically last year by Sony Pictures Classics. Other titles include the romantic mystery THE WORDS starring Bradley Cooper, and LAWLESS, starring Shia LaBeouf. The company’s financial thriller MARGIN CALL was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and won the Best First Feature Award at the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards.