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Joseph Mazzello, the “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Jurassic Park” actor, heads the cast of “A Grim Life,” a supernatural thriller set inside Los Angeles’ Cecil Hotel.
Hong Kong outfit Cappu Films has picked up international
sales, it was unveiled at the Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM market.
Francesco Lucente writes and directs. Mazzello, whose credits also take in “The Pacific,” plays Tom, a filmmaker down on his luck who pays the bills scrubbing toilets and can’t stop reworking the one script he has. A friend steers him toward “Böse,” a lost silent picture from 1931, and Tom’s hunt for an artistic breakthrough pulls him toward a dark secret.
Max Beesley (“Jack Ryan”) plays producer Joe, with Wes Studi (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”) as Nic, Carl Lumbly (“Captain America: Brave New World”) as Henry and Arnetia Walker (“Bookie”) as Chelsea. Studi is a 2019 recipient of an Academy Honorary Award.
The building itself does much of the work. The film draws its scares from the hotel’s hallways and concealed rooms, leaning on sound, shadow and Tom’s deepening isolation to tighten the dread.
Lucente also produces. The project will move into pre-production in December 2026 ahead of a January 2027 shoot, with delivery penciled for July 2027.
“‘A Grim Life’ is a deeply personal project for me, one that explores the darker side of ambition, obsession, and the sacrifices we make in pursuit of our dreams,” Lucente said. “The Cecil Hotel provides an extraordinary and haunting backdrop for a story where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural begin to disappear.”
Cappu first presented the film to buyers in Busan and is keeping those conversations going before cameras roll. Janice Woo of Cappu Films said the Cecil Hotel and the lost film give the project an immediately compelling premise, “while Tom’s desperation gives the story its emotional center.” She added: “Following our work with Francesco on ‘Starbright,’ we’re pleased to continue the relationship with a project that brings together a distinctive atmosphere and an experienced cast.”
Lucente previously directed the drama “Badland” and the fantasy “Starbright,” which stars Ted Levine, John Rhys-Davies and Diego Boneta.
Besides “Starbright,” the Cappu slate carries another Lucente fantasy, “Sinbad,” plus the action titles “Lion Fist” and “Red Bird.” The company’s catalog spans horror, fantasy, action and arthouse fare, and also includes TV series and library titles from Hong Kong cinema’s Golden Era.
