Jason Momoa, Tenoch Huerta, Adria Arjona and Kiefer Sutherland Join Miles Teller in ‘Copperhead’

Miles Teller has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most dependable leading men for intense, morally complex dramas, and his upcoming project is set to be one of the most star-studded to date. The thriller, titled ‘Copperhead’, has been assembling its production team in preparation for a fall shoot.

‘Copperhead’ first came together in June when Teller signed on to lead the film for Black Label Media, directed by John Swab, known for the Venice-premiering ‘King Ivory’. Swab is working from a script penned by Chad Feehan and J. Todd Scott, with production slated to begin in September. Black Label Media is producing alongside Teller’s own Lime Tree Productions and Swab’s Milk Boy.

The cast has just expanded significantly. Black Label Media has added four major names to the lineup: Jason Momoa, Tenoch Huerta, Adria Arjona, and Kiefer Sutherland will join Teller, although details about their characters remain under wraps for now. This casting announcement comes just before this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where Black Bear will launch international sales for the project.

The film revolves around an undercover drug deal that spirals into chaos, compelling a seasoned detective to collaborate with a young federal agent to uncover a conspiracy within their elite task force. This premise allows the ensemble to explore morally ambiguous characters dealing with institutional corruption, a theme Swab has effectively tackled in his previous works.

Each new addition to the cast has a busy schedule ahead. Momoa recently portrayed bounty hunter Lobo in ‘Supergirl’ and starred alongside Dave Bautista in Amazon MGM’s ‘The Wrecking Crew’, which was the fourth most-viewed film across all streaming platforms from December to June, according to Nielsen data. He is also set to appear in ‘Street Fighter’, ‘Dune: Part Three’, ‘A Minecraft Movie: Squared’, and ‘Fast Forever’ in the coming months.

Huerta, recognized for his role as Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, is set to reprise his character in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and will star opposite Taylor Kitsch in the upcoming hostage thriller ‘Eleven Days’. Arjona, who recently appeared in ‘Andor’ and the acclaimed Neon comedy ‘Splitsville’, has A24’s ‘Onslaught’ arriving on September 4, adding another high-profile project to her slate alongside ‘Copperhead’.

Black Label Media has a strong reputation, with credits including Lynne Ramsay’s Cannes drama ‘Die My Love’, ‘Sicario’, ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’, and ‘Only the Brave’. The company is also collaborating with director J.D. Dillard on ‘The Strange’, a follow-up to his Korean War drama ‘Devotion’, with casting currently underway.

With production set to commence next month and sales already being pursued at TIFF, ‘Copperhead’ is poised to be one of the most anticipated genre projects as it heads into the fall festival circuit.

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