Karen Gillan & David Dastmalchian Thriller ‘All Creatures Here Below’ Snapped Up By Samuel Goldwyn

EXCLUSIVE: Samuel Goldwyn Films has taken U.S. rights to Collin Schiffli’s dramatic thriller All Creatures Here Below which stars Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Karen Gillan, Bird Box’s David Dastmalchian and Once Upon a Time‘s Jennifer Morrison. The film is having its international premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival later this month and is slated for a day and date release this spring. Bleiberg Entertainment is handling worldwide sales on the film.

In the pic, Gensan (Dastmalchian) and Ruby (Gillan) struggle to thrive in the face of abject poverty. When Gensan loses his job and gambles his last pay check, he sets in motion a series of events with dire consequences. Little does he know, Ruby has taken the one thing she’s always yearned to possess – a child of their own. Racing across the country with the infant, they seek refuge in their hometown of Kansas City, a place filled with the dark secrets that have haunted them since they fled years ago.

Schiffli directed the pic from Dastmalchian’s screenplay. Both won the SXSW jury award for their previous feature Animals. All Creatures Here Below is produced by Nacho Arenas, Amy Greene Vines, and Chris Stinson. The deal was negotiated by Ehud Bleiberg and Nick Donnermeyer of Bleiberg Entertainment, Erika Canchola and Tiffany Boyle of Ramo Law on behalf of the filmmakers, and Ben Feingold for Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“We were drawn to this film by the impressive performances of this talented cast,” said Peter Goldwyn. “We’re excited to bring this powerful dramatic thriller to audiences.”

“I had to overcome a great deal of fear in both writing it and returning home to film it. I’m so grateful for the courage and support that came from everyone. I’m beyond grateful and overjoyed that a company I respect and admire, Samuel Goldwyn Films, will be introducing audiences to All Creatures Here Below. This is an incredible day for me and our entire team,” said Dastmalchian.

Gillan has a busy year: she’s a voice in Fox/Blue Sky’s Spies in Disguise, stars in Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame and Fox’s Call of the Wild. Last year, The Orchard acquired her directorial feature debut The Party’s Just Beginning which Deadline exclusively reported. She is repped by United Talent Agency, Troika, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein.

Dastmalchian also starred recently in Ant-Man and the Wasp and Sam Taylor-Johnson’s A Million Little Pieces which mades its world premiere at TIFF last September. He is repped by Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.

Schiffli is repped by ICM, Verve, 3 Arts and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.

View this article at Deadline.