John Boyega is headed back to sci-fi territory for a new film that sounds like it could have come from the archives of the Black Mirror team. He's starring in new romantic thriller The Freshening, which has Cathy Yan attached to write and direct.
Inspired by Rachel Khong’s short story, published in the Paris Review, the film will be set in a near future where tensions over race and gender have reached a violent extreme and the US government institutes a public health initiative known as ‘The Freshening’: every American receives an injection, after which everyone only sees others as the same race and gender as themselves.
The story charts what happens when a street drug hits the scene, promising a chance to see the world as it really is, and newly met Sam and Reese (Boyega) must decide whether to disrupt the ‘freshened’ world?
"It’s a dream to work with John Boyega, a singular talent whose commitment to his craft and willingness to take risks have delivered such memorable, wide-ranging performances," says Yan. "I know he’ll bring incredible depth and nuance to Reese. I’m thrilled he’s on for this wild ride."