Victoria Justice (Afterlife of the Party) and Adam Demos (Sex/Life) have signed on to star in an untitled romantic comedy, which Stuart McDonald (Summer Heights High, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) is directing for Netflix.

The film written by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy (Love, Guaranteed, Falling Inn Love) centers on a hard-driving LA wine-company exec who travels to an Australian sheep station to land a major client. There, she ends up working as a ranch hand and sparking with a rugged local.

Robyn Snyder, Deborah Evans, Deborah Glover, and Tracey Vieira are producing the pic, which will be shot on location in Queensland, Australia.
Tracey Robertson is exec producing with Nathan Mayfield, Elizabeth Hackett, Hilary Galanoy and Fernando Szew.
Production and post-production will be supported by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy. The film will create around 120 jobs for Queenslanders.
“This new Netflix film is the latest in a string of domestic and international productions continuing to fuel the state’s screen boom which is critical to our economic recovery,” said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. “This project is a strong example of how our Production Attraction Strategy benefits Queensland’s local screen sector via exciting co-production arrangements for local businesses, such as Hoodlum Entertainment, one of the state’s most successful production companies.”

Justice will next be seen as the lead of the Netflix film Afterlife of the Party. She recently wrapped production on the indie California King, which also stars Jimmy Tatro and Travis “Taco” Bennett. On the television side, her recent credits includes Fox’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show and MTV’s Eye Candy.

The actress broke through with her leading role in Nickelodeon’s Victorious. Other recent credits include director Joseph Cross’ Summer Night and the indie film Bigger, in which she appeared opposite Tyler Hoechlin and Julianne Hough.

Demos was most recently seen starring as heartbreaker Brad Simon in Netflix’s drama Sex/Life, from creator Stacy Rukeyser. He’s also recurred in Lifetime’s UnREAL and the Australian drama Janet King for ABC1. His film credits include Netflix rom-com Falling Inn Love and Cooped Up.

Justice is represented by UTA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Demos is repped by Innovative Artists, Untitled Entertainment and Sophie Jermyn Management in Australia.

Sources

Victoria Justice and Joel McHale have joined the cast of “California King,” a comedy that mixes together a story of friendship, mattresses and a kidnapping gone terribly wrong. The Glickmania, Bombo and Vanishing Angle film is the feature directorial and writing debut of Eli Stern. It co-stars Travis Bennett (“Dave”) and Jimmy Tatro (“Home Economics”).

“California King” will be produced by Glickmania’s Jonathan Glickman and Dan Kagan alongside Vanishing Angle’s Matt Miller. Bombo’s Bob Potter will serve as executive producer on the film, which will begin principal production this summer in Utah.

Justice is best known for her role in the sitcom “Victorious” and will next be seen as the lead in Netflix’s “Afterlife of the Party.” McHale currently hosts the Fox game show “Crime Scene Kitchen” and stars in CW’s “Stargirl.” He can next been seen in “Queenpins” alongside Kristen Bell. McHale is best known for starring in “Community” and hosting 12 seasons of E’s “The Soup”.

Glickmania’s upcoming slate includes the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” which stars Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul and will premiere in theaters on August 13, as well as “The Addams Family 2,” premiering October 2. Vanishing Angle’s most recent feature, “Werewolves Within,” based on the Ubisoft video game, debuted last month via IFC in 270 theaters. Bob Potter’s Bombo Sports & Entertainment is a producer of more than 80 sports movies including “Beyond the Promised Land” chronicling David Beckham’s career. “California King” is one of three narrative films that Bombo is producing and financing this year.

Justice is repped by Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein, and McHale is repped by Ziffren-Brittenham LLP. Both are repped by UTA.

UTA Independent Film Group is handling worldwide sales on “California King.”

Sources

Here is the trailer for Victoria new movie Trust

“Trust,” a new romantic drama starring Victoria Justice and Matthew Daddario, has sold key distribution rights to Vertical Entertainment.

The boutique distributor will roll out the film in North America, the U.K. and Ireland, Variety has learned. The release is set for March 12, in select theaters and via paid video on demand. Josh Spector negotiated the deal for Vertical, with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.

Set in the glamorous art worlds of Paris and New York, Justice plays a gallery owner married to a newscaster, played by Daddario. When two seductive strangers enter their lives (Lucien Laviscount and Katherine McNamara, respectively), the couple is faced with temptation, jealousy and a mystery that upends their lives. The Exchange is handling international sales on the project, directed by Brian DeCubellis.

“On behalf of my fellow producers, we are so excited to partner with Vertical Entertainment to bring our film ‘Trust’ to screens in North America and UK/IE. This stunningly talented cast and crew joined forces to pour so much passion into every shot of this chemistry-fest of a movie. As a filmmaker, I couldn’t be more proud or grateful of the collaborations and the outcome” DeCubellis said.

Rich Goldberg, Vertical’s co-president, said the film was “a star-powered, temptation driven film with enthralling performances from a talented cast. We’re thrilled to partner with the talented filmmaking team to bring the film to audiences this March.”

DeCubellis wrote the script with Kristen Lazarian and K.S. Bruce. He also produced with Steven Klinsky and Tom Guida. Corey Trent Ackerman, Maureen Sherry and Steven P. Wegner executive produced. Cinematography is by David Tumblety, with editing by Ann Husaini, and music by Joel Douek and Greg Pliska.

Sources