Former software engineer Shane Carruth is known as a solid indie director, having helmed Sundance favorites like Primer and Upstream Color (both of which he also acted in). Now he’s gearing up for his third film, The Modern Ocean, and this one is quite a departure from the small-scale scene, featuring a massive ensemble cast of big-name players.

The cast includes Keanu Reeves, Jeff Goldblum, Daniel Radcliffe, Anne Hathaway, Chloe Grace, Asa Butterfield, Tom Holland, and Abraham Attah. The film is a drama about a competition in the shipping industry, and will follow a group of traders as they battle over ocean territory and the most valuable shipping routes. Carruth claimed that it will show “full scale naval battles using improvised weapons on cargo ships.” The film will take place in New York, Mumbai, Western Africa, Israel, Greece, the Mediterranean, and the Suez Canal. Does the word “epic” come to mind?

Production is due to start next year, but there is no release date yet for The Modern Ocean. If you’re not acquainted with Carruth’s films, but your ears have perked up, check out Primer and Upstream Color on Netflix. You’ll see that Carruth can direct strong performances, but can he captain an ensemble film with the same style and attention to detail? Here’s hoping.

What do you think of the cast for The Modern Ocean? Are you a fan of Shane Carruth? Will you see this film when it comes out? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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HT: The Film Stage

IMAGE: Athena LeTrelle, courtesy of Creative Commons