The star will play an idealistic journalist in the film, directed by Amy Rice and being introduced at the European Film Market in Berlin by The Exchange.
Kumail Nanjiani is adding political thriller to his growing list of onscreen credits, having signed up to star in The Independent.
The star — who landed an Oscar nomination for his 2017 breakout The Big Sick and has Paramount romantic comedy The Lovebirds and his first superhero outing in Marvel’s The Eternals coming up — is set to play an idealistic young journalist who uncovers a major political conspiracy just as America’s first viable independent presidential candidate is poised for electoral victory.
The Exchange is financing the project and will introduce it to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin.
A top-ranked Black List script, The Independent will mark the narrative feature debut of Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker Amy Rice, who directed HBO’s Edward Norton-produced By the People: The Election of Barack Obama. Two-time Black List scribe Evan Parter – currently writing upcoming Amazon Studios original Untitled Jonn Dean Feature, starring Chris Pine – penned the script.
Parter will also produce alongside the Emmy-winning duo of Sam Bisbee and Theodora Dunlap of Park Pictures (The Sentence, Hearts Beat Loud, Infinitely Polar Bear, The Hero) and Anonymous Content’s Ryan Cunningham.
“Kumail is a great actor with global recognition and he serves as the cornerstone for an incredible ensemble cast that we are excited to announce shortly,” said Brian O’Shea, CEO of The Exchange.
The Exchange’s European Film Market lineup also includes Peter Dinklage, Noomi Rapace, Sophia Lillis’ The Thicket, Anna Faris’ Summer Madness, Zoe Saldana’s Key Hole Garden, the SXSW Midnight section premiering The Toll, Bruce Willis’ Cosmic Sin, Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata and David Arquette’s Spree, the Sundance-bowing Welcome To Chechnya and Thomas Jane, Alex Pettyfer, Charlotte Le Bon, Alice Eve and Patrick Schwarzenegger’s Warning.
