Dev Patel is set to write, direct and star in period revenge drama The Peasant
The Peasant is set in 1300s India, featuring a shepherd's fight against mercenary knights.
Dev Patel is prepared to unleash his filmmaking skills once again. The Slumdog Millionaire star is all set to write, direct and star in an upcoming period revenge drama, The Peasant, set in medieval India. The Peasant marks Dev's second directorial as he reunites with Thunder Road Pictures, the company behind his breakout directorial debut Monkey Man.
(Also read: Dev Patel graces cover of Vanity Fair magazine with Hollywood stars Nicole Kidman, Zendaya and Zoe Saldana)
Details about The Peasant
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be a high-adrenaline revenge actioner with shades of Braveheart and John Wick mashed with the notes of King Arthur. Set in the 1300s, the film centers around a shepherd who unleashes a furious campaign against a group of mercenary knights who ravaged his community, revealing himself to be much more than an ordinary man.
Fifth season, which is also financing and producing the drama, first collaborated on the project with screenwriter Will Dunn, who had previously worked on Ms Marvel. It was supposed to have an Italian setting with pope-connected story. The project had reportedly generated quite a buzz as it also landed on the prestigious 2023 Black List, the annual directory of most popular unproduced screenplays. However, now, under Dev's guidance, the film has shifted its plot to India to make it look more colourfully vibrant and almost mystical. The producers are hoping to turn the feature into a franchise, too.
About Dev Patel's first directorial venture
In Monkey Man, Dev portrays an underdog street fighter who ends up becoming a vigilante superhero. His character fights against the mighty and rich who oppress the downtrodden and are also responsible for his mother's death. Monkey Man also stars Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Aditi Kalkunthe and Makarand Deshpande in key roles.
