Simon West is set to direct War Wolf

Veteran action director Simon West (CON AIR, EXPENDABLES 2, THE MECHANIC) is set to direct the new action film War Wolf for producers Ileen Maisel (THE GOLDEN COMPASS, INKHEART), Lawrence Elman (ROMEO AND JULIET, TIGER EYES) and Jib Polhemus (WILD CARD, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER).

In the year 1356, after decades of relentless war between the French and English armies, English solider Earl Hugo is awarded the castle of his enemy, the French assassin Mauchet. In the dark walls of castle Machoul, and the lands that surround it, someone has reawakened the Loup de Guerre, the ferocious War Wolf of French legend. The nightmarish creature is now on a killing spree, murdering indiscriminately, with a bloodlust for both English knights and Frenchmen alike.

Written by Andy Briggs (THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT, SCREAMING NIGHT) and Paul Finch (THE DEVIL’S ROCK, SPIRIT TRAP), the film is currently in pre-production with principal photography planned for November 2016 on location in Italy.

Fortitude International is handling international sales on the title and will present the actioner to buyers in Cannes.

WAR WOLF is the first in a planned franchise of films under a partnership between Simon West, Fortitude International and Amber Entertainment centered around the legendary and magical world of the Loup de Guerre. Paul Finch, bestselling author of the “Heck” crime novels, is currently working on a novelization of the project.

The special effects makeup and costuming for the project will be created by Academy Award winner Dave Elsey (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, MR. HOLMES, upcoming BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) and Lou Elsey (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Upcoming BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), co-founders of the Igor Studios. The Elsey’s are responsible for the effects on a multitude of blockbuster films including MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, STAR WARS EPISODE III, and WOLVES for which Dave won an Academy Award. In 1999, Elsey was invited to supervise the Australian branch of Jim Henson’s creature workshop, where he and Lou Elsey worked extensively on the Farscape series.

“The popularity of the fantasy genre around the globe continues to grow and the fierce world of WAR WOLF is an electric story,” said Nadine de Barros. “Under the masterful direction of Simon West and the brilliant team of Dave and Lou Elsey behind the special effects makeup, this film is going to blow people away with both the look of this fantastical world and the intense storytelling.”