STXfilms Partners On Writer Director Lori Evans Taylor's "Bed Rest" Starring Melissa Barrera From Project X Entertainment

BURBANK, Calif., Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- STXfilms, a division of Eros STX Global Corporation (NYSE:ESGC) ("ErosSTX"), announced today it has acquired worldwide rights to Bed Rest, a supernatural thriller to star Melissa Barrera (Scream, Carmen, In the Heights) for writer-director Lori Evans Taylor, who will make her directorial debut. The announcement was made by Adam Fogelson, chairman, STXfilms Motion Picture Group.

The film, which will be produced by William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein through their Project X banner, along with Evans Taylor and Barrera, begins production in Winnipeg next month. In the film, after years of struggling to start a family, Julie Rivers (Melissa Barrera) is pregnant again and moving into a new home with her husband as they embrace a fresh start. After being ordered to mandatory bed rest, Julie begins to slowly unravel as she suffers through the monotony and anxiety of her new constraints. Soon, terrifying ghostly experiences in the home begin to close in on Julie, stirring up her past demons and causing others to question her mental stability. Trapped and forced to face her past and the supernatural, Julie fights to protect herself and her unborn baby.

STXfilms will distribute directly in the US, UK and Ireland, and in the rest of the world through its network of international distribution partners. STXinternational will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming Virtual AFM next week.

"Bed Rest is a chilling supernatural cinematic thriller," said Fogelson. "Lori Evans Taylor's script was on the Black List for a reason: her compelling writing comes from a personal point of view we haven't often seen on the big screen, and that will elevate the material. We're also big believers in Melissa Barrera's talent as an actress to bring this character to life. Horror has been a consistently successful genre for us at STX, and as a studio with a strong track record supporting female filmmakers, we are proud to be releasing Lori's directorial debut. We're also thrilled to be in business with William, James, Paul and the Team at Project X on a movie that will keep audiences riveted."

Project X partners Sherak, Vanderbilt and Neinstein added, "We have known Lori both personally and professionally for years and have always been huge fans of her writing. This screenplay was so unnerving and deeply felt, we knew she was the right director to bring this to the screen. We had just worked with Melissa on Scream, where we saw her incredible talent first hand. We're thrilled to have put them together, and that our longtime friends at STX will be our partners on this project. Their success with low and mid budget films and their commitment to female and diverse talent, both in front of and behind the camera, make them the ideal home for this film."

STXfilms' President of Production Sam Brown alongside creative executives Marisa Moreno and Alexandria Martin are overseeing Bed Rest on behalf of the studio. Financing for the film is provided by BondIt Media Finance.

MELISSA BARRERA most recently starred in In the Heights and will next star in Scream, the musical Carmen, and the Netflix series "Breathe." She previously starred in the Starz series "Vida" and the independent film "All The World Is Sleeping," which recently premiered at the New York Latino Film Festival. She was recently announced as Clinique's new Global Ambassador. Barrera is represented by WME, Bridge Works Entertainment, Sugar 23, and Gang Tyre.

LORI EVANS TAYLOR makes her feature film writing and directing debut with Bed Rest. She is currently writing Final Destination 6.  Other recent writing credits include I Am Still Alive, starring and produced by Ben Affleck, the 21 Laps-produced I-5, and Small Price To Pay. She has previously produced stories for such television shows as "Lucky Dog," "Welcome Home," and others. She is represented by ICM Partners, Kaplan/Perrone and McKuin Frankel.

PROJECT X ENTERTAINMENT is the production company headed by Chief Content Officer James Vanderbilt and Co-CEOs William Sherak and Paul Neinstein. Among their upcoming projects are the relaunch of Scream with Paramount and Spyglass, Ambulance, an action-thriller directed by Michael Bay for Universal, Short Circuit, a remake of the 1986 comedy, and "The Night Agent," a Netflix series based on the Matthew Quirk novel, created by Shawn Ryan.

About STXfilms

STXfilms, a division of Eros STX Global Corporation, is a next-generation film studio that produces, acquires, distributes, and markets motion pictures at scale. From blockbusters like Greenland, Hustlers, Bad Moms, and The Upside to hits like The Gentlemen, Molly's Game, and The Gift, STXfilms produces star-driven films for a global audience. In just 5 short years, its slate of films has already grossed over $1.8b in global theatrical box office. With a wide range of partners including Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Showtime (which handle the physical and premium television releases of STXfilms content, respectively), the studio is a fast-growing, industry powerhouse. Upcoming films include Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,  a new action-comedy directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham, Hugh Grant, Aubrey Plaza, and Josh Hartnett, The Marsh King's Daughter directed by Neil Burger and starring Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn, American Sole starring Pete Davidson, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Camila Mendes, Offset, and Bad Bunny, The Godmother starring Jennifer Lopez, Universe's Most Wanted starring Dave Bautista, Muscle starring Vin Diesel and directed by F. Gary Gray, National Champions starring Stephan James and J.K. Simmons, Violence of Action starring Chris Pine, and Greenland: Migration, the sequel to the global hit starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin.

Contact: Steve Elzer, 213-607-3591, [email protected]

SOURCE STXfilms