Writer/director David Hewlett (Rage of the Yeti) has wrapped on his new sci-fi film, Debug. Starring Jeananne Goossen (The Vow), Jason Momoa (Conan the Barbarian), Adam Butcher (Wolves) and Kjartan Hewitt (Scott Pilgrim vs the World), Debug centers on a group of six hackers on work release who are tasked with debugging the AI on a massive freighter in space. The team soon finds themselves in a battle of wits against a computer program that would kill to be human. Debug is planned for an early 2014 release. Hit the jump for the full press release and synopsis.
Here's the full press release with the synopsis in bold:
Monday March 11, 2013: Toronto. Producer Steve Hoban of Copperheart Entertainment announced that principal photography has wrapped on Debug, a film written and directed by actor David Hewlett (Cube, Rise of the Apes, “Stargate Atlantis”,). Debug, Hewlett’s second feature film, stars Jeananne Goossen (The Vow, “Alcatraz”), Jason Momoa (Conan the Barbarian, Bullet to the Head, “Game of Thrones”), Adam Butcher (Wolves, Mirror, Mirror,), Kjartan Hewitt (Scott Pilgrim vs the World, This Movie is Broken), Sidney Leeder (Goon), Jaydn Wong (Cosmopolis), Adrian Holmes (Elysium, Red Riding Hood) and Kyle Mac (Carrie). Produced by Steven Hoban (Splice, Wolves, Haunter) and executive produced by Mark Smith (Haunter, 388 Arletta Ave.), Jane Loughman (A Dog’s Breakfast, The Trial of Ben Barry) and John Raymonds (Haunter, Trust Me) Debug was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Toronto, with release slated for early 2014.
Deep space. Six young hackers on a grueling work release program attempt to clear out - debug - the computer systems of a massive derelict space freighter. They quickly fall prey to the ship's vengeful artificial intelligence, a program that would kill to be human. As the fractious team is forced to match wits with this rogue program, they discover that the ship holds a deadly secret, and a fate far worse than death.
David Hewlett says: “My father took me to see Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 for my 10th birthday. I have been enthralled by Hal, and the possibility of sentient artificial intelligence, ever since. Debug is 2001 from Hal’s perspective.”
Cinematography by Gavin Smith (Wolves, 388 Arletta Avenue), production design by Michelle Lannon (Compulsion), costume design by Patrick Antosh (Wolves, Haunter).
DEBUG is produced with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.
Entertainment One has acquired Canadian rights to the film.
About David Hewlett:
David’s film career began in his early teens when he hooked up with a few schoolmates on their early endeavors. He continues to collaborate with these filmmakers on features like Cube, Foolproof and Splice. Most recently David can be seen in Vincenzo Natali’s film Haunter, which is premiering at SXSW 2013.
Five years as a series lead on “Stargate Atlantis” led to his writing and directing feature debut, A Dog's Breakfast -- a bone-jarring, head-smacking, fiancé-bashing comedy about family, marriage, madness and murder. He followed this with roles opposite Ashley Judd in Helen, Rachel Weisz in Whistleblower and James Franco inRise of the Apes and directing SyFy’s Saturday night “monster-piece” Rage of the Yeti.
Debug is the fruition of his fertile imagination, lifelong appreciation of the Sci-Fi genre, and long-standing relationships with his crack team of producers!
