Melissa Leo Joins Sean Byrne’s Thriller ‘The Mannequin’ from Studiocanal’s Sixth Dimension at Cannes
Studiocanal’s newly established genre division, Sixth Dimension, is set to begin production this summer on Sean Byrne’s high-stakes thriller, The Mannequin. The film features Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo, known for her role in The Fighter, and will be both directed and penned by Byrne.
Studiocanal plans to launch global sales for The Mannequin at the Cannes Film Festival. The film will have theatrical releases in the UK, France, Germany, Benelux, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand, while Elevation Pictures will handle distribution in Canada.
Sean Byrne
Byrne previously showcased his work at last year’s Cannes with his Australian shark thriller, Dangerous Animals, which was distributed by IFC Films in the United States.
In a statement, Byrne expressed his excitement: “After wading through bloodied waters together on Dangerous Animals, I’m thrilled to be alongside my friends at StudioCanal’s Sixth Dimension. I can’t wait to unleash The Mannequin on the big screen. There have been other serial killer procedurals, but this is its own thrillingly deranged beast—twisted, intense, propulsive, and anchored by a fearless performance from Melissa Leo, building to a shocking twist you won’t see coming. It’ll put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there.”
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Jed Benedict, head of Studio Canal’s Sixth Dimension, remarked, “Nostalgia exists for the best serial killer movies of the noughties for good reason; not only are they brilliantly scary and tense, but they’re meticulously written. With The Mannequin, Sean Byrne has gifted us two unforgettable characters in Charley and Sadie and then thrown them into a fast-escalating nightmare. With the extraordinary Melissa Leo set to star, and a stellar creative team, we at Sixth Dimension can’t wait for audiences to discover Sean’s terrifying manhunt thriller.”
The Mannequin is produced by William Woods and Maddy Falle for Page 12 Pictures Inc., alongside Kristian Moliere for Triptych Pictures. Executive producers include Steven Schneider, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Charlie Kemball, and Jed Benedict for Studiocanal’s Sixth Dimension. Head Gear Films is packaging the project with Room 101, led by Steven Schneider.
Melissa Leo is represented by Gersh, while Sean Byrne is represented by The Fleming Agency, Innovative Artists Entertainment, Echo Lake Entertainment, and Paul Hastings.
