Bold Films eyes May start on 'Shot Caller'

Company owner Litvak and Rhodes will produce alongside writer-director Ric Roman Waugh and Participant Media’s Jonathan King, who developed the project. Bold’s Gary Michael Walters will serve as executive producer with Participant’s Jeff Skoll. 

Bold will fully finance Shot Caller, about an ex-con coerced by his gang into pulling off a major crime with a rival southern California gang. WME and Miles Mogulescu handled the negotiations for Bold. 

“Ric Roman Waugh is an extremely gifted, rising film-maker and we are delighted to make this edgy, elevated crime thriller with him,” said Litvak. “Shot Caller fits right into the Bold brand and we are excited to work with Participant,” added Walters.

Bold’s Whiplash (pictured) earned Oscars for best supporting actor for JK Simmons, editing for Tom Cross and sound mixing for Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley. It was nominated for a further two awards. Nightcrawler earned an Academy Award nod for Dan Gilroy’s best original screenplay.

• Nate Parker is preparing to shoot The Birth Of A Nation in mid-May in Savannah, Georgia. The project stars Parker, Armie Hammer and Gabrielle Union among others and tells the true story of Nat Turner, who in 1831 led the most successful slave revolt in US history. The film is a Bron Studios, Phantom Four, Mandalay Pictures and Tiny Giant Productions venture in association with Follow Through Productions, Infinity Entertainment and Creative Wealth Media Finance.