PARIS – Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ English-language debut The Lobster has caught French star Lea Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color), Brits Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) and Olivia Colman (I Give It a Year) and Australian Jason Clarke (The Great Gatsby) for its international cast.
The unusual romantic drama is set in a dystopian future where singles are forced to find a partner in 45 days or they are turned into animals and released into the woods. Before he can be transformed, a man escapes into the loners’ woods.
The script is penned by Efthymis Filippou, who previously collaborated with Lanthimos on their Oscar-nominated thriller Dogtooth, which snagged a best foreign film nom in 2009, and 2011’s ghost-story drama Alps.
Element Pictures, Scarlet Films and Lanthimos’ U.K.-based production company Limp are producing. France’s Haut et Court is co-producing.
U.K.-based Protagonis is handling international sales at AFM next month for the film, which is scheduled to begin shooting in Ireland in March 2014.
Jina Jay (The Lovely Bones) handled casting.
hollywoodreporter.com – Lea Seydoux and Jason Clarke join The Lobster
