Renée Zellweger to Star in David Yates’ Psychological Thriller ‘Phantom Son’ for AGC Studios and Big Picture Co.
Renée Zellweger is set to star in “Phantom Son,” a psychological thriller directed by David Yates from an original screenplay by Ian Scott McCullough. Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios has come aboard to fully finance and co-produce the film.
The project was originated and developed by Zellweger and Carmella Casinelli under their Big Picture Co. banner and attached Yates to direct and continued development with him before ultimately partnering with AGC Studios to finance and co-produce.
“ ‘Phantom Son’ is that rare discovery with promise to connect on a broad scale with the kind of rich, character-driven storytelling we love, and we’re thrilled it’s taking shape with such an extraordinary team. With David at the helm, and AGC as our partner, we’re poised to deliver something really special,” said Zellweger and Casinelli.
AGC Intl. and CAA Media Finance will co-rep worldwide rights and launch sales at the American Film Market next week. Additional casting is underway for a Q1 2026 start.
The film follows Ronnie, a young runaway struggling to survive on the street, who is taken in by Audrey (Zellweger), a lonely woman whose own son was kidnapped 20 years prior. As Audrey becomes convinced that Ronnie actually is her long-lost son, a twisted game of cat and mouse develops, blurring the line between deception and delusion.
Yates directed “The Girl in the Café” before helming the final four Harry Potter films, concluding the franchise with “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.” He later directed “The Legend of Tarzan” and the “Fantastic Beasts” trilogy, followed by Netflix’s “Pain Hustlers.” He received the John Schlesinger Britannia BAFTA Award for excellence in directing and has an honorary fellowship for outstanding contribution to the British film and television industry from the National Film and Television School.
Scott McCullough was an executive story editor on AppleTV’s “The Mosquito Coast” and a writer on the Sky/Fremantle series “The Iris Affair.”
Zellweger is repped by CAA; Yates is repped by Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, CAA and Gretchen Rush; and Scott McCullough is repped by Independent Artist Group and Heroes & Villians. Anant Tamirisa negotiated on behalf of AGC Studios.
