Amazon MGM Studios is set to land the sci-fi film Mercy, starring Chris Pratt, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, and produced by Oscar-nominated Charles Roven. Amazon has re-engaged with Pratt, who previously worked on The Tomorrow War and Prime Video's The Terminal List. The project also marks a reunion between Pratt and Bekmambetov, who worked on 2008's Wanted, an Oscar-nominated blockbuster based on Mark Millar's comic book.
Chris Pratt to reunite with Timur Bekmambetov for a new Amazon MGM Studios project
The project puts Chris Pratt back in business with Amazon, which acquired his Skydance movie The Tomorrow War from Paramount and turned it into a big Prime Video hit during the pandemic. He also has the series The Terminal List on Prime. The movie also represents a reunion for Pratt and Bekmambetov, who both worked on the latter’s 2008 Hollywood directorial debut Wanted, an Oscar-nominated blockbuster based on Mark Millar’s comic book.
Mercy, a film written by Marco van Belle, follows a detective played by Pratt who is accused of a violent crime and is tasked with proving his innocence in a rapidly increasing capital crime landscape. Charles Roven, who just received a second Best Picture Oscar nomination for Oppenheimer, will produce Mercy under his Atlas Entertainment along with the label’s SVP Robert Amidon as part of the production team alongside Bekmambetov’s Bazelevs and producer Majd Nassif. Amazon MGM Studios will be releasing Mercy as the first in a series of titles for theatrical distribution. In their vast slate, similar to other studios, some movies are released for the big screen, while others are designated for Prime Video.
“From the moment Chuck Roven brought us Mercy and we read Marco van Belle’s script, we knew the film was meant for the big screen,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios. She continued, “As our relationship with The Terminal List and The Tomorrow War’s Chris Pratt continues to extend across film, we can’t wait to watch him bring this action-packed story to life, guided by Chuck and the vision of director Timur Bekmambetov. We could not imagine a better star and filmmaking team to execute on and deliver what is sure to be a gripping thrill ride and look forward to audiences being able to experience it in theaters.”
“I could not be more thrilled to partner with Amazon MGM Studios on the release of Mercy,” said Roven, adding, “I have a longstanding working relationship with both motion picture and marketing chiefs Courtenay Valenti and Sue Kroll— whom have institutional knowledge of theatrical and proven track records of success at the box office. I am looking forward to reuniting with them in this new capacity, along with Jen Salke and the rest of the terrific team at Amazon MGM.”
“Amazon is the ideal partner for telling this crucial story about the future challenged by artificial intelligence and for engaging in this conversation with a wide audience,” said Bekmambetov. He added, “I’m happy to reunite with Chris Pratt on this project, who, since the release of ‘Wanted,’ has become one of the highest-grossing actors of our time. Collaborating with Chuck Roven will help us create an epic cinematic experience.”
Bekmambetov broke out with Night Watch (2004), a cult Russian fantasy epic, that grossed reportedly over $50 million globally. His digital filmmaking innovations earned BEL a spot in Fast Company's Top 10 Most Innovative Video Companies in 2021. Roven's global box office success includes The Dark Knight Trilogy, Oppenheimer, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Wonder Woman, with Atlas Entertainment led by him and producing partner Alex Gartner. Irish writer-director Van Belle, known for award-winning shorts and feature films, has gained international recognition with his 2015 medieval fantasy Arthur & Merlin. He established Clandestine in the U.S. and recently sold his original spec, Surveillance, to Voltage Pictures.
As Mercy further expands Pratt’s relationship with Amazon MGM, Prime Video has a second season of The Terminal List and also ordered the prequel The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, which will also star Taylor Kitsch, to the series.
Amazon MGM's box office success includes The Beekeeper, an action thriller directed by David Ayer and starring Jason Statham, and Saltburn, a five-time BAFTA Film Award nominee. American Fiction, a TIFF People's Choice Award winner, has won five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. The Boys in the Boat, a sports drama by George Clooney, has reportedly grossed over $45 million domestically. Air, a Ben Affleck-directed dramedy, is a notable Easter film for adults, and Creed III is the biggest Rocky spinoff movie.
