“Stranger Things” breakout Da Clemont Gomery (currently bowing out of Gas Van Sant’s Festival “Dead Man’s Wire”) is set to lead the cast of the upcoming psychological thriller “Moral Ability” along with Oscar nominee Diane Lane, Oscar winners Time Robbins and “Kingsman: The Secret Service” star Sofia Bootella.
Directing the films released on TIFF by the Highland Film Group is a worker at Brad Anderson (The Call, The Machinist) from the script by novelist Peter Moore Smith (Raveling, Los Angeles).
“Moral ability” follows James Fisher (Montgomery), everyone who loses, their family, their reputation, and everyone who loses the perfect life he has built, until his relationship with business partner Andrea (Butella) is discovered by his husband Cliff (Robbins). According to the summary, James finds himself caught up in a fatal ultimatum. Do murder and watch his world fall apart. As Cliff pulls the string in this destructive, horrifying game of mail and manipulation, James turns to his therapist, Dr. Tore (Lane), and doesn’t know that she has a deeper secret.
Producers of “Moral Ability” include Mark Amin (“The Wire of a Dead Man”, “Apprentice”) and Kami Winnikov (“The Wire of a Dead Man”, “Bleeding Love”). The film is an executive produced by Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier alongside Sobini film Dave Devries for the Highland Film Group. Orly Sitowitz is the casting director for the film.
“Peter’s great script checks every box for me,” Anderson said. “The way it combines character-driven research with a paranoid thriller reminds me of how excited I was about my films The Machinist, Session 9, Fractured.” And I know that this amazing cast, especially Tim Robbins, whose early love for the genre, had an influence on my early love for the genre. ”
Highland Film Group is now on sale in Toronto, representing its international right to “moral competence.” CAA Media Finance handles domestic rights. Production is expected to begin in the UK in early 2026.
“Brad Anderson is the ideal director to bring a brave and unique perspective to his filmmaking and to deliver this taught, tense psychological thriller,” says Fraser, CEO of Highland Film Group.
“There’s an incredible ensemble cast led by the talented Diane Lane, Sophia Bettera, Tim Robbins and Da Clemont Gomery. He can next be seen in Gas Vincent’s highly anticipated “The Dead Man.” There is a universal appeal to the film and I can’t wait to start filming,” COO Perrier added.
Producer Amin said: “This is a rare project that is smart, artistic and commercial at the same time. With this director and cast, there is great potential for this film. This is exactly what we need in today’s tough market.”
The current Slate of Highland Film Group also stars Justin Chadwick’s action-spis thriller “Mark” Jessica Alba. “Stratagem” is a spy action thriller starring Noomi Rapace and Teo Yoo. “Just Play Dead” is a thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green. “Lice” is a comedy horror starring Justin Long, Emile Hirsch and Kevin Connolly. and the action crime thriller “Vice,” starring Duke Nicholson, William H. Macy, Tiffany Haddish and Stephen Dorff.
