Following the success of films like “Searching” and “Unfriended,” Universal Pictures is re-teaming with “Wanted” director Timur Bekmambetov for five more films done in the ‘Screenlife’ format.
Screenlife is the term used for films that ditch traditional cameras for stories visually driven from the POV of smartphones and computer desktops – the places where people spend much of their waking hours.
Bekmambetov has become the go-to person for this format, having produced most of the movies made this way including “Searching,” “Profile,” and both “Unfriended” films. Bekmambetov has also floated the idea of doing a “Wanted” sequel in this format with an assassin pulling off targeted hits by remote.
The Screenlife format has proven to be very conducive to a pandemic, allowing screens to be recorded without people meeting each other. Bekmambetov has already been doing sessions with himself based in Los Angeles and two actors based in Sydney and London respectively.
It’s also highly cost effective – “Searching” not only scored rave reviews but made $75 million off a sub-$1 million budget. That film is getting a sequel and Bekmambetov is said to have up to fifty Screenlife projects in development with Universal taking only some of them (most will likely not get made) and from a range of genres.
Source: Deadline
