There was a time before The Lone Ranger and Pirates of the Caribbean when Gore Verbinski was known not as Disney’s go-to director for big-budget bores, but rather as the exciting helmer behind excellent horror remake The Ring. Now, he’s attempting to regain some of that credibility by taking on a small-scale supernatural horror pic at New Regency called A Cure for Wellness, and to aid him in that pursuit, Verbinski is calling on the talents of Kill Your Darlings star Dane DeHaan and on-the-rise actress Mia Goth.
DeHaan will star as a man who is sent to Europe in order to retrieve his boss from a “wellness spa,” only to become trapped in the facility and realize that its staff members have a far more nefarious goal than simply improving the health of their patients.
Goth, meanwhile, is in negotiations to take on the supporting role of a longtime spa patient who is blind to what terrible things the spa director has in store for her.
Revolutionary Road scribe Justin Haythe is handling script duties for the pic, which Verbinski will also produce through his Blind Wink Productions shingle. Production is expected to kick off in Europe in June, and 20th Century Fox is also set to distribute thanks to its deal with New Regency.
DeHaan has made a name for himself taking on intense, troubled individuals, from the sickly Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to the resentful, bullied Andrew in 2012 superhero found-footage pic Chronicle. With upcoming performances in James Dean biopic Life and historical romance Tulip Fever, he’s about to hit the big time.
Goth, on the other hand, has a lot to prove. She appeared in Nymphomaniac: Vol. II in a supporting role, and she has a part in the star-studded adventure epic Everest, out this fall. A smaller title like A Cure for Wellness will certainly give her a chance to show off the range that drew New Regency to her in the first place.
We’ll keep you posted as a release date is secured for the pic.
