Melissa Leo Set For Sean Byrne Thriller ‘The Mannequin’

Studiocanal‘s new genre division Sixth Dimension is heading into production this summer on Sean Byrne‘s violent high-stakes thriller The Mannequin starring The Fighter Oscar winner Melissa Leo. Byrne is directing and writing.

Studiocanal is launching global sales at Cannes for Mannequin and will release the pic theatrically in their own territories of UK, France, Germany, Benelux, Poland, Australia and New Zealand. Elevation Pictures has the feature in Canada.

Byrne was here at last year’s Cannes with his Australian shark thriller Dangerous Animals in Director’s Fortnight which IFC Films handled in the U.S.

Byrne said in a statement, “After wading through bloodied waters together on Dangerous Animals, I’m thrilled to be alongside my friends at StudioCanal’s Sixth Dimension, I can’t wait to unleash The Mannequin on the big screen. There have been other serial killer procedurals, but this is its own thrillingly deranged beast—twisted, intense, propulsive, and anchored by a fearless performance from Melissa Leo, building to a shocking twist you won’t see coming. It’ll put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there.”

Studio Canal’s Sixth Dimension Head Jed Benedict said, “Nostalgia exists for the best serial killer movies of the noughties for good reason; not only are they brilliantly scary and tense, but they’re meticulously written. With The Mannequin, Sean Byrne has gifted us two unforgettable characters in Charley and Sadie and then thrown them into a fast-escalating nightmare. With the extraordinary Melissa Leo set to star, and a stellar creative team, we at Sixth Dimension can’t wait for audiences to discover Sean’s terrifying manhunt thriller.”

The Mannequin is produced by William Woods, Maddy Falle for Page 12 Pictures Inc. and Kristian Moliere for Triptych Pictures. EPs are Steven Schneider, Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Charlie Kemball and Jed Benedict for Studiocanal’s Sixth Dimension. Head Gear Films packaged the project with Steven Schneider’s Room 101.

Leo is repped by Gersh. Byrne is represented by The Fleming Agency, Innovative Artists Entertainment, Echo Lake Entertainment and Paul Hastings.