Scott Speedman has signed to play the make lead opposite Liv Tylerin Rogue Pictures' thriller Strangers.

Filming on the Mandate Pictures and Vertigo Entertainmentco-production is set to begin this week [Oct 10] in South Carolina in time foran October 2007 release. Focus Features International is handling internationaldistribution.

Speedman and Tyler will play a young couple whose survivalinstincts are put to the test when masked strangers invade their remotesuburban home. Supermodel Gemma Ward plays one of the intruders.

Bryan Bertino wrote the screenplay and makes his featuredirectorial debut. Nathan Kahane, Roy Lee and Doug Davison are producing, andMandate's Joe Drake and Kelli Konop and Vertigo's Sonny Malhi are serving asexecutive producers.

'There's great chemistry between Scott and Liv, which Bryanwill expertly mine through the terrifying twists and turns of Strangers,' Rogue co-presidents Andrew Karpenand Andrew Rona said in a joint statement.

Speedman starred opposite Kate Beckinsale in the Underworldfranchise, while Tyler's credits include the Lords Of The Rings series andStealing Beauty.

Vertigo and Ghost House Pictures, Drake and Kahane's joint venturewith Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, recently completed Takashi Shimizu's TheGrudge 2, which Sonywill release on Oct 13.

Mandate' slate includes the upcoming Sony release Stranger ThanFiction, as well as MrMagorium's Wonder Emporium,and Juno. Rogue'sline-up includes Balls Of Fury, The Hitcher remake, and Hot Fuzz.

Topics