The Hollywood Reporter

Friday August 24, 2001

Ricci sights on 'Gathering' for Granada Films  (an excerpt)

by Zorianna Kit

Christina Ricci is toplining Granada Films' supernatural thriller "The Gathering" for director Brian Gilbert and Samuelson Prods. The project, budgeted at about $17 million, is slated to go into production Sept. 3 in England.

The project reunites Gilbert and producers Peter and Marc Samuelson, the latter of whom produced the Gibson-directed features "Wilde" and "Tom & Viv."

"Gathering," written by Anthony Horowitz, also stars Ioan Gruffudd, Kerry Fox and Stephen Dillane. Set in rural England in present day, "Gathering" centers on a first century church that is unearthed near an English countryside town, where a remarkable and sinister mural is found. At the same time, a young American backpacker (Ricci) traveling through an English village finds herself involved in a car accident and gladly accepts help from a female driver and her family only to become drawn into their troubled lives.

In the aftermath of the accident, the girl begins to hallucinate and believes terrifying strangers are following her, putting into question as to whether the images are from a concussion or a newly found gift of second sight, both of which might be connected to the church.

Granada head of film Pippa Cross also is producing the project with the Samuelsons. Steve Christian, Simon Franks, Anthony Horowitz, Zygi Kamasa, Patrick McKenna and Duncan Reid are executive producing "Gathering," with Rachel Cuperman associate producing.

International sales for the film are being handled by Capitol Film, with presales in place at Helkon SK for the United Kingdom and Helkon AG for Germany. The film is equity financed by the Isle of Man Film Commission, Granada Film and Ingenious Media...

The Samuelsons most recently produced "Arlington Road."