Tim Roth and Timothy Spall Star in New York Crime Thriller ‘Murdering Michael Malloy’ at Cannes Market
EXCLUSIVE: Archstone Entertainment is set to launch world sales at the Cannes Film Festival for the crime-thriller Murdering Michael Malloy, featuring Oscar nominee Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction) and BAFTA and Cannes Best Actor winner Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner). The film draws inspiration from real events.
Directed by Raymond De Felitta (City Island), filming is anticipated to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
In this true-story adaptation, Roth portrays Tony Marino, a struggling bar owner who, along with his partner Bastogne, takes out a life insurance policy on the neighborhood drunk, Michael Malloy (Spall). Their attempts to kill Malloy for the payout quickly lead to unexpected challenges, as they discover he is nearly impossible to kill. As Marino’s desperate schemes fail, a complex bond forms between the two men, culminating in a haunting sacrifice set against the backdrop of Depression-era New York.
The screenplay was co-written by De Felitta and David Zellerford. The production team includes Stephen Endelman, who is also composing the score; Dan Grodnik; Louise Chater; and Jeff Wallner from Harbor Lights Entertainment and Icarus Entertainment Fund, with casting managed by Shakyra Dowling.
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De Felitta received an Academy Award nomination for the short film Bronx Cheers, and his feature debut, Café Society, premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. His later films, including Two Family House and City Island, received Audience Awards at Sundance and Tribeca, respectively. He is also known for the crime drama Rob the Mob and the ABC miniseries Madoff, which earned him a Directors Guild of America nomination.
“I’ve long been passionate about making Murdering Michael Malloy and now, twenty-five years after writing the screenplay, I have the perfect two actors to portray the lead roles. Tim Roth and Timothy Spall are truly ‘actors actors,’ and I know that both will bring tremendous force, honesty, and humor to a crime story that is both a dark comedy and a morality tale about two equally bankrupted souls who find redemption in each other,” De Felitta stated. “In many ways, it’s a twisted story, and I can’t think of two more wonderfully twisted actors I’d rather work with.”
Legal representation for the film is provided by James Pacitti and Lee & Thompson, while Archstone Entertainment is overseeing worldwide sales.
Michael Slifkin of Archstone expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We are incredibly excited to be involved with Murdering Michael Malloy. The film brings together an extraordinary cast, visionary filmmakers, and a truly unique story that is both wildly entertaining and emotionally unexpected.”
Roth is represented by CAA and Markham, Froggatt, and Irwin. Spall is represented by Markham, Froggatt, and Irwin, and is managed by Berwick & Kovacik.
