Nikhil Nagesh Bhat Hollywood debut comes with Amazon MGM Studios' Deadlocked starring Jamie Foxx.
Action thriller follows a former Marine trapped inside a deadly courthouse hostage crisis.
Kill premiered at TIFF before securing a mid-seven-figure Lionsgate distribution agreement.
Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's Hollywood debut has officially been confirmed, with the acclaimed Kill director set to helm Deadlocked, an action thriller starring Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx. Backed by Amazon MGM Studios, the project marks Bhat's first English-language feature and expands his international career following the success of Kill, which gained global recognition after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Deadlocked brings Jamie Foxx and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat together
According to Deadline, Deadlocked will stream globally on Prime Video. The thriller follows a grieving former Marine serving jury duty who is forced back into action after a high-profile trial turns into a deadly hostage crisis. The situation unfolds when the defendant's daughter seizes control of the courthouse in an attempt to free her father.
The screenplay has been written by Eric Scott Anderson and Matt Takejiro Bosack from an original story developed by the pair. The film is being produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Fred Berger for Range, Dave Caplan for C2 and Jamie Foxx through Foxxhole Productions. AJ Bourscheid, Liz Destro, Paul Currie and Corinne Foxx will serve as executive producers.
Kill success opened doors for Hollywood
Nikhil Nagesh Bhat attracted international attention with Kill, starring Lakshya and Raghav Juyal, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before securing a mid-seven-figure distribution deal with Lionsgate ahead of its worldwide theatrical release in 2024. The action thriller was widely noted for its relentless violence and stylish filmmaking.
Apart from Kill, Bhat has directed Apurva, Hurdang, Rasbhari and The Gone Game. Reports had also linked him to Parshuram, an action thriller starring Sunny Deol. However, following the announcement of Deadlocked, it remains unclear whether that project will proceed as planned.
Jamie Foxx was most recently seen in Netflix's Back in Action alongside Cameron Diaz and will next appear in the Olympic boxing drama Fight for '84.
