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EXCLUSIVE: Elsa Pataky (Fast & Furious franchise) is among several new additions to The Mark, the forthcoming spy thriller from director Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom). Others include Mark Coles Smith (We Bury the Dead), Jessica McNamee (Mortal Kombat), and Rena Owen (Once Were Warriors). Character details for the newcomers are under wraps. As previously announced, Jessica Alba, Tom Hopper, and Angus Sampson lead the cast. Currently in production in Queensland, Australia, The Mark follows Eden (Alba), an enigmatic spy on a covert and dangerous mission. When she pulls single father Ben Dawson (Hopper) into her world of high-stakes espionage, his life is turned upside down. Mistaken for the world’s deadliest assassin, Ben becomes the perfect decoy for Eden. She uses the mix-up to expose a powerful network of corrupt politicians, placing Ben in the crosshairs of ruthless crime syndicates and the CIA, led by the seasoned Special Operative Len Milton (Sampson). With enemies closing in from all sides, Eden must keep Ben alive long enough to complete her mission — while Ben must summon his inner action hero to stay alive and return to the person who matters most: his daughter. Written by Ronnie Christensen (Passengers), the film is produced by Alba under her Lady Metalmark Entertainment banner, Arianne Fraser (Land of Bad), Delphine Perrier (Arcadian), and Henry Winterstern (Underworld franchise) for Highland Film Group; Jam (The Misfits, Lucky Number Slevin) for K. Jam Media; alongside Kosaku Yada for Westbrook Studios (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, King Richard); Tracey Vieira (Land of Bad) for Hoodlum; and Peter Jákl (Locked). Will Smith and Miguel Melendez executive produce on behalf of Westbrook Studios, alongside Tracey Nyberg for Lady Metalmark Entertainment, Chadwick, Ceasar Richbow (Protector), Latavius Powell (The Florist), Jason Hope (Ashley), Tracey Robertson (Land of Bad), and Nathan Mayfield (Land of Bad) for Hoodlum, and Jeff Kranzdorf (The Courier), Gevork Semeriyan, and Abraham Kesablyan for Falcon Films. Highland Film Group is handling international rights and co-financing the project alongside Aperture Media Partners. The film is supported by the Australian Government through the Location Offset, the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, and the Local Government through the City of Gold Coast’s Screen Attraction Program. Perhaps best known for her role as Elena in the Fast & Furious franchise, Pataky has also been seen in films like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Thor: Love and Thunder, and 12 Strong, among others. She is repped by CAA, Elevate Artist Management, and Morrissey Management. Smith is repped by CP Artist Management; McNamee by Independent Artist Group, Independent Management Company, Untitled Entertainment, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; and Owen by Greene Talent, Johnson and Laird Management, and Feig Finkel.
