Searchlight Pictures acquires Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan starrer ‘Fresh’ ahead of Sundance debut

Searchlight Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to LegendaryEntertainment’s film Fresh, directed by Mimi Cave and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and Sebastian Stan (Captain America franchise, I, Tonya), in advance of its World Premiere at the virtual Sundance Film Festival next week. 

The thriller is written by Lauryn Kahn, and produced by Adam McKay and Kevin Messick under their Hyperobject Industries banner, with Maeve Cullinane as co-producer. Fresh, which marks Cave’s feature debut, will stream exclusively on Disney’s DTC platforms as a Hulu Original in the U.S. on March 4, 2022 and internationally on Disney+ as a Star Original later in the spring.

Fresh follows Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who meets the alluring Steve (Sebastian Stan) at a grocery store and – given her frustration with dating apps – takes a chance and gives him her number. After their first date, Noa is smitten and accepts Steve’s invitation to a romantic weekend getaway.  Only to find that her new paramour has been hiding some unusual appetites.

“Fresh upends all romance tropes and boldly comments on the trepidation of the current dating experience,”said Searchlight Presidents Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum. “Mimi Cave has brilliantly brought Lauryn Kahn’s razor sharp script to the screen, and will give audiences something they are truly hungry for.” 

“Fresh is a wildly allegorical story, yet the film carries strings of truth throughout that I hope resonate for different audiences,” added director Mimi Cave.  “I’m so pleased to be working with the Searchlight and Hulu teams to bring our film to the world and can’t wait for people to see the brilliant performances Daisy and Sebastian give.”

Jojo T. Gibbs(Twenties), Charlotte Le Bon (Anthropoid, The Hundred-Foot Journey), Andrea Bang (Luce), and Dayo Okeniyi(Runner Runner, The Spectacular Now) round out the cast. The crafts team includes cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski (Hereditary, Midsommar), editor Martin Pensa (Wild, Dallas Buyers Club), production designer Jennifer Morden (Riot Girls), and composer Alex Somers (Honey Boy, Captain Fantastic).

Ben Wilkinson, VP Business Affairs negotiated the deal for Searchlight Pictures with Michael Ross for Legendary Entertainment.

Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute