EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired North American rights to Last Days, the adventure drama from the Fast & Furious franchise’s Justin Lin, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, in a return to his indie roots.
The film, based on the Outside magazine article “The Last Days of John Allen Chau” by Alex Perry, will be released exclusively in theaters on October 24.
Based on a true story, Last Days centers on John Allen Chau (Touchdown‘s Sky Yang), a 26-year-old determined to fulfill his life’s mission, who embarks on a dangerous adventure across the globe to share his faith with the uncontacted tribe of North Sentinel Island, while a detective (Sister Midnight‘s Radhika Apte) from the Andaman Islands races to stop him before he does harm to himself or the tribe.
Written by Ben Ripley (Flatliners), the film also stars Naveen Andrews (The Dropout), Ken Leung (Industry), Toby Wallace (Eden), and Ciara Bravo (Due West). The film was produced by Lin for Perfect Storm Entertainment, Clayton Townsend for 40 Degrees, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson for The Gotham Group, Salvador Gatdula, and Andrew Schneider. The executive producers are Guja Quaranta for 40 Degrees, Ernesto M. Foronda, Dylan Highsmith, Keanu Reeves, Zhang Xin and William Horberg for Closer Media, Naoya Kinoshita and Masami Takahashi for Kinofilms, Ruigang Li and Catherine Xujun Ying for CMC Pictures, Wendy Poole, Jonathan E. Lim, Hoyoung Huh, Joseph Restaino for Hungry Bull Productions, Luke Speed, Alex Perry, George F. Heller for Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Robin Thurston and Christopher Keyes for Outside Studios, and Chris Quintos Cathcart and Tyler Boehm for Unapologetic Projects.
In his great, heralded return to independent cinema, Justin has crafted a beautifully tragic tale about one man’s attempt to change the world,” said Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey in a statement to Deadline. “Vertical is proud to be releasing this incredible film.”
In his own statement on the acquisition, Lin told Deadline, “I feel extremely lucky to be on this journey with everyone who has helped bring this film to the screen. It’s a story that resonated so much with me, and I’m excited to share it with the world.”
Before graduating to tentpole filmmaking with the Fast & Furious franchise, Last Days‘ Lin broke out with indies like Shopping for Fangs and the Independent Spirit Award-nominated Better Luck Tomorrow. Jarowey and SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi repped Vertical in the deal to acquire his latest, with CAA Media Finance repping the filmmakers.