After 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel directs 'The Peasant'
What's the story
Dev Patel is all set to add to his directorial repertoire with a new project, The Peasant, a period action thriller.
The movie, produced by Fifth Season and Thunder Road Pictures, will see Patel don multiple hats as he will be the director, writer, and lead actor. He will also produce through his own production company, Minor Realm.
This marks a reunion with Thunder Road, after their successful collaboration on Monkey Man, Patel's directorial debut.
Plot
'The Peasant' blends medieval knights with feudal India
Set in the 1300s, The Peasant is an adrenaline-fueled revenge thriller. The film's plot revolves around a shepherd who sets out on a vengeance-driven campaign against a band of mercenary knights that invaded his community.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has been likened to movies such as Braveheart and John Wick, with touches of King Arthur.
It will be set in medieval India.
Development
'The Peasant' almost went in a different direction
Fifth Season, which is financing and producing The Peasant, first developed the project with Will Dunn, a writer from Marvel Studios's Ms. Marvel.
The project drew a lot of buzz and even made it to the 2023 Black List of most popular unproduced screenplays.
Under Patel's direction, the setting was moved from Italy to a vibrant, almost-mystical India. Patel and Dunn are now working on the new drafts of the screenplay.
Franchise potential
Potential franchise launch and production details
As per reports, The Peasant could kickstart a new action franchise. Thunder Road is no stranger to hit revenge and action franchises, having produced the successful John Wick movies.
The company also has the gritty Sicario movies and Josh Hartnett-starrer action film Fight or Flight, which will hit theaters in May.
Fifth Season's film division, headed by Christopher Slager, develops, produces, finances, and distributes an array of movies.
Career highlights
Patel's previous work and representation
Patel's directorial debut Monkey Man was also a revenge action thriller set in India. The film, released by Universal last year, follows a man who infiltrates a nightclub to take vengeance on his mother's killer.
While it was a smash hit worldwide, it didn't get a release in India.
Patel, who last starred in the British drama Rabbit Trap, is represented by CAA, Curtis Brown, and Sol22.