THE BLACK DEMON: ATLANTIS Locks World Sales And Casts Up As Cameras Roll In Colombia
Cinematographer Carmen Cabana (“Resident Evil,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Narcos: S2”) – described as a thriller and action aficionado whose expertise in crafting high-octane, visually stunning sequences brings pulse-pounding intensity to the screen – is directing shark survival sequel, The Black Demon: Atlantis. The sequel comes after the success of Adrian Grunberg’s The Black Demon starring Josh Lucas, which, following its theatrical release in 2023, claimed the #1 spot on Amazon’s streaming rankings for seven consecutive days.
Cabana is directing from a script he wrote with Aaron Benjamin (The Nest) and Boise Esquerra (Austin Film Festival award-winner “Blackwater,” The Black Demon). The cast is led by starring Jack Kesy (Hellboy: The Crooked Man, Deadpool 2) and Julio César Cedillo (Sicario, Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico” and The Harder They Fall), with Harold Torres (John Woo’s Silent Night, Martin Campbell’s Memory, Amazon Prime’s “ZeroZeroZero”), Vanesa Restrepo (AMC’s “Surviving The Cartel,” Netflix’s “The Surrogacy”) and Anthony Del Negro (Netflix’s “Running Point”) also starring.
After the global success of The Black Demon, the beast returns faster, fiercer, and deadlier than ever in Atlantis, a remote maximum-security prison in the Pacific Ocean. Undercover DEA agent Jerry Simms (Jack Kesy) arrives at the offshore fortress run by the enigmatic Warden Reyes (Vanesa Restrepo) after his operative (Anthony Del Negro) mysteriously disappears while investigating inmate deaths tied to Diego Núñez (Harold Torres), a feared cult-like killer rumored to wield ancient powers. As mutilated bodies surface around the prison and whispers of blood rituals spread through the cell blocks, Atlantis spirals into fear, violence, and chaos. Forced to rely on Chato (Julio César Cedillo), a haunted inmate who knows the prison’s hidden underworld, Jerry is pulled into a desperate fight for survival when the legendary Black Demon tears into Atlantis, turning it into a nightmarish war zone.
Highland Film Group is financing the film and repping worldwide sales at Cannes, and has already locked distribution deals in key international territories in all media for the film which is currently rolling cameras in Colombia. Territories include Vertigo Releasing for the UK and Canada, Leonine Studios for Germany, IIF for Italy, Mis.Label for Scandinavia, NOS Lusomondo for Portugal, Three Lines Pictures for Benelux, Mediasquad for Poland, Blitz Film for Ex-Yugoslavia, Foxx Media Group for Czech Republic/Slovakia, Karpat Media for Romania, Sun Distribution for Latin America, Chantier Films for Turkey, Falcon Films for the Middle East, Filmfinity for South Africa, Rialto Distribution for Australia/New Zealand, Nikkatsu/AMG for Japan, Kinolights for South Korea, Lionsgate Play for India, Pioneer Films for the Philippines, Antenna Entertainments for Malaysia and PT Prima Cinema for Indonesia, Moviecloud for Taiwan, Movie Copyright for Thailand and PictureWorks for airline rights.
Teaming up to produce again are Javier Chapa for Mucho Mas Media (The Long Game, Rosario) and Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier and Caleb Ward for Highland Film Group. Exec producing are Kristopher Wynne, Simon Beltran, Juan Pablo Solano, Robert Muñoz, Harry Ahluwalia, Christian Sosa, Jon Wroblewski and Scott Likens alongside Wonder Street’s Mark Holder, Christine Holder and Bryan Coyne and Goldrush Entertainment’s Eric Gozlan.
Jaguar Bite is serving as the production service company with Burning Bull (Ang Lee’s Gemini Man, Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”) serving as the stunts company. The project has received approval to obtain the CINA incentive (Audiovisual Investment Certificate), granted by the Colombian government and administered by Proimágenes Colombia.
“The beast is back and ready for more! It’s fantastic to work again with producer Javier Chapa following the success of our first creature collaboration. With the help of our terrific international partners, we look forward to introducing this sensational new installment to audiences around the world,” said Highland CEO Fraser. “Helmed by visionary cinematographer Carmen Cabana, The Black Demon: Atlantis is big in scale and wide in scope and will feature spectacular action sequences full of tension and suspense,” added Highland COO Perrier.
Torres is repped by Mosaic and Allen Vainshtein of Vainshtain Law; Cedillo is repped by Buchwald and Spellbound Entertainment; Restrepo is repped by Spellbound & SMS Talent; Del Negro is repped by Wonder Street.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!
