Rosamund Pike has been cast to star in the new virus thriller Rich Flu, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film takes a hard look at the wealth that runs the world as a strange disease begins to kill off the wealthy, slowly working its way from billionaires to anyone with any sort of wealth, leading to the world flooding every kind of market with materials that could spell doom for those who possess them.
The film is directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, whose credits include The Platform (which became the most-watched film on Netflix in 2020) and The House On The Lake. Pedro Rivero will work alongside Gaztelu-Urrutia on the script for the film with Pablo Larraín, whose credits include producing films such as Fever Dream and The Club as well as directing films such as Spencer and Jackie, will produce the film alongside Juan de Dios Larraín under their Fabula banner.
Gaztelu-Urrutia commented to The Hollywood Reporter on how the film will look at self-indulgence as well as feature Pike’s acting skills, stating that:
“Rich Flu is an immense physical saga, full of twists, obstacles, and surprises. But, above all, it is a complex and provocative emotional journey to the depths of the human soul and the pinnacles of our glorious self-indulgence. Only an artist with the bravery and intelligence of Rosamund Pike could bring this film to life. I’m extremely grateful for the incredible and highly-respected team at Sierra/Affinity for their support in sharing our project at the Berlin market.”
Pike’s skills as an actress have been well observed in the past, from the disgruntled housewife who seeks to ruin her husband that she played in Gone Girl to the mystical mage Moiraine Damodred in the television series The Wheel of Time. Pike was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Gone Girl and was rewarded the best actress Golden Globe for the action-packed comedic thriller I Care A Lot.
Principal photography on the film is set to begin in the fall of 2022 and will be launched at the virtual European Film Market in Berlin. Rich Flu will give many fans of Pike yet another example of her acting skills while also forcing us to ask just what we consider wealthy and how that wealth could make us sick in more ways than one.