We're used to seeing Sharlto Copley in front of the camera, and while he'll be keeping a starring part in Sapien Safari, the actor is also using the movie as his writing and directorial debut.
The District 9 star has secured the financing he needs to make the sci-fi social comedy, which will see aliens buying the Earth and trying to decide if its dominant wildlife (that would be us) is worth protecting. In the film, Copley will be Riblik, a naturalist known throughout the galaxy (though not here until the story starts), who argues that the human race, despite its many faults, is indeed a species that deserves to keep on inhabiting this blue marble.
QC Entertainment, which helped make Get Out, is stumping up the cash for this one. "In an increasingly risk-averse environment, the team at QC have been an enormous blessing," says Copley. "They have an eye for bold, edgy and original material with commercial potential. Once on board, they wholeheartedly back the filmmaker. One can’t ask for more." There's no word on when he'll get started making it.
Copley will next show up on British screens in Gringo, arriving 9 March.
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