Award-winning director Ava DuVernay and acclaimed actor David Oyelowo are re-teaming for a new feature film, Heist of Benin, announced today at the Studiocanal showcase in Paris.
Described as a “thriller that intertwines art, love and restitution,” the film will be set in contemporary London. DuVernay is set to direct, with Oyelowo starring. This marks a significant reunion for the duo, who previously collaborated on the Academy Award-winning historical drama Selma, where Oyelowo portrayed Dr Martin Luther King Jr., and later on DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time.
“Reuniting with David in this way feels full circle,” said DuVernay, highlighting the film’s exploration of “history, identity and love” through a high-stakes adventure. Oyelowo added that they had been searching for the right story to tell together again, calling Heist of Benin “thrilling and high-powered with deeply resonant themes.”
The film, from an original idea by screenwriter Jesse Quiñones, will be produced by Endurance Media and Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon. Studiocanal will finance and handle worldwide distribution. The studio also announced Elsinore, a new film starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman.
