‘The Bear’ and ‘Beef’ Writer Alex Russell Sets Directorial Debut ‘Lurker,’ Starring Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe (EXCLUSIVE)

Alex Russell, whose writing credits include FX’s “Dave” and “The Bear” and Netflix’s “Beef,” is making his directorial debut with the upcoming thriller “Lurker,” starring and Théodore Pellerin (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”) and Archie Madekwe (“Saltburn”).

Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox round out the cast of “Lurker,” which follows a retail employee (Pellerin) who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom (Madekwe). As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

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WME Independent will represent worldwide sales for the film, which begins shooting this spring.

Pellerin’s credits include Philippe Lesage’s “Genesis,” Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” and Joel Edgerton’s “Boy Erased.”

Last year Madekwe starred as Farleigh Start in Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” and as Jann Mardenborough in Sony’s “Gran Turismo.” His other acting credits include Ari Aster’s “Midsommar” and the Apple TV+ series “See.”

Liu starred in MGM’s 2023 sex comedy “Bottoms” opposite Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott, and she is next seen in Cooper Raiff’s “Hal & Harper” with Mark Ruffalo and Lili Reinhart. She is repped by Anonymous Content, CAA and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Madekwe produces alongside Alex Orlovsky, Duncan Montgomery, Galen Core, Jack Selby, Olmo Schnabel, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell and Francesco Melzi D’Eril.

Executive producers include “Beef” creator Lee Sung-Jin, “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins for Case Study Films, Gabriel Moratti for MeMo Films, Marco Colombo for Adler Entertainment, Alfonso Angoitia Legorreta, Mal Ward and Matt Aselton for Arts & Sciences and Rick Covert for High Frequency Entertainment. Production companies include High Frequency Entertainment, MeMo, Arts & Sciences, TWIN and Case Study Films.

Russell, who was featured on the Black List in 2020, writes and directs “Lurker.” A consulting producer on “The Bear” and supervising producer on “Beef,” he is represented by WME, Grandview, Elixr Global, and Cohen & Silver.

Madekwe is represented by Curtis Brown Group and UTA. Pellerin is repped by Black Bear and Untitled Entertainment.

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