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Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron is set to lead and produce the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios thriller Tyrant, written and directed by Hunters creator David Weil. The project has rapidly become one of Hollywood’s most anticipated thrillers, with Theron in final negotiations to star and produce through her Secret Menu banner alongside producing partners Beth Kono and A.J. Dix. Weil will also produce the film with his partner Natalie Laine Williams, along with The Picture Company’s Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona.
Amazon and The Picture Company landed the coveted spec script in August after an intense bidding war, and production was fast-tracked once Theron expressed interest. According to sources, Tyrant will feature not one but two major female leads, with the second role currently one of the most sought-after parts in town. Insiders describe the film as promising “a pair of tour de force performances,” setting high expectations for the project.
While plot details are being kept under wraps, Tyrant is said to blend the high-stakes energy of Wall Street with the psychological intensity of Whiplash, set against the backdrop of New York City’s elite culinary world. The film is based on a story by Weil and Cody Behan.
Weil, who has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile writer-directors, continues to expand his slate. He recently sold the spec Supermax to Miramax, co-written with David J. Rosen, with David Gordon Green attached to direct and The Picture Company producing. He is also adapting a film for United Artists and director Edward Berger about Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter imprisoned in Russia on false espionage charges. Additionally, Weil is writing Extraction 3 for Netflix, continuing the hit action franchise.
Theron’s Secret Menu banner, meanwhile, remains a powerhouse in developing smart, character-driven thrillers. Among its upcoming projects is the Netflix original Apex, a high-tension thriller starring Theron and Taron Egerton, directed by Baltasar Kormákur. Other titles in development include The Quiet Tenant, a limited horror series with Blumhouse; Jane, a psychological feature loosely inspired by the life of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, to be directed by Alfonso Cuarón; and Two for the Money, a heist homage written by Dan Mazeau and directed by Justin Lin. Theron is also set to appear in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey next summer.
For The Picture Company, Tyrant follows the success of the eight-time Oscar-nominated A Complete Unknown and the upcoming James McAvoy–Julianne Moore thriller Control, now in post-production.
Theron is represented by CAA and Hansen Jacobson Teller, while Weil is represented by CAA and Jackoway Austen.
With its powerhouse creative team, dynamic female leads, and high-concept premise, Tyrant is shaping up to be one of Amazon MGM Studios’ most exciting and ambitious thrillers yet.