Cathy Yan got a raw deal when her last film, the awesome DCEU team-up flick Birds of Prey, opened right at the cusp of COVID-19 lockdown. Things have been quiet for Yan since then, with only an episode of HBO’s Succession to her directing credits. But that’s about to change, as her long-developing passion project, The Freshening, has finally gotten moving. And not only that but she’s found her star and a couple of high-powered producers.
Deadline reports that John Boyega has stepped up to star in The Freshening, which will finally begin shooting later this year. The sci-fi romance takes place in a world where racial tensions are so high that a drug is created that forces people to see everyone as the same race and gender. But things get turned upside down when a new drug emerges that sets things back to normal.
The film is being produced by Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries, along with comedian Ali Wong, and FilmNation Entertainment.
Yan had this say about Boyega’s casting…
“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,” said Yan. “I know he’ll bring incredible depth and nuance to Reese. I’m thrilled he’s on for this wild ride.”
Boyega was most recently seen looking like a B-movie drug kingpin in The Woman King. His next film is Netflix sci-fi comedy They Cloned Tyrone which opens this summer.
Also on Yan’s plate is a live-action series adaptation of Paprika for Amazon Studios. It’s unclear where that fits into her schedule, but presumably, The Freshening takes priority.
