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EXCLUSIVE: Actor Theo James and producer Andrew D. Corkin are joining forces to produce theatrical and small-screen projects in the UK and U.S. with their new label Untapped. “While our

primary focus is genre and thriller, we are drawn to stories of conflicted humanity that force viewers to question how they would react when faced with real or existential threats,” said

James. “These stories are often grounded in truth – literal or allegorical – encouraging us to confront and challenge the assumptions we make about ourselves and the world around us.” Said

Corkin: “We’re excited to solidify our partnership to tell complex, diverse stories across various mediums. Theo and I share a vision for how we want to build stories and worlds that both

fit within the current marketplace and look beyond it.” Already, James and Corkin have several film and TV projects in various stages of development, prep and post. WATCH ON DEADLINE On the

feature side, Untapped, along with Philip Herd and Cora Palfrey of Independent, will release _Archive_, a sci-fi movie from Gavin Rothery, for which James also stars with _Vox Lux _actress

Stacy Martin. Set in a remote facility that works on artificial intelligence, the film follows George (James), who is developing a new AI prototype while hiding a secret ulterior motive.

Untapped has also enlisted horror writer-director Osgood “Oz” Perkins (_Gretel & Hansel_) to write the script for _The Asset, _which is based on an original concept by James. The label

is aligned with _Hotel Mumbai _producers Jomon Thomas and Natalya Pavchinskaya, with Gavin Levinson  of ROAR serving as EP. The project is financed through their development house S’YA

Concept. The story follows an elite U.S. SEAL Team, working with the Iraqi Peshmerga, who capture an ISIS collaborator holding essential information only to find the horror is much closer

than they imagine. Also in development is the award-winning _Los Angeles Times_ article by Frank Shyong, “A Dying Mother’s Plan,” a true-life account of a terminally ill Chinese mother who

killed her schizophrenic son whom she believed was at risk to become a mass shooter. Untapped has commissioned Marilyn Fu (_The Honor List_) to write the screenplay and partnered with

Mynette Louie (producer on _The Tale_) to produce alongside LA Times Studios. On the TV side, James and Corkin have optioned the book _Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?_ inspired by the iconic

true story and grisly discovery of an unknown woman’s corpse stuffed into the hollow of a wych elm tree. The series will explore an unsolved Birmingham, UK murder in two time periods –

following the boys who initially made the discovery in the 1940s, and a group of teenagers from the same town in the 1990s who try to solve the murder. Los Angeles-based Platform One Media,

headed by Katie O’Connell Marsh, is on board to develop, produce and oversee global sales, while writers David Wolstencroft (_Spooks_) and Simon Mirren (_Criminal Minds_) will executive

produce through their Atlantic Nomad banner. In the UK, Untapped has also cleared life rights to Sally and Michael Evans to tell a scripted version of their family’s story, which revolves

around their son and brother becoming radicalized in High Wycombe, England and leaving for Kenya to join Al Shabab. The Evans’ story was already told as a documentary, _My Son the Jihadi,_ 

directed by Peter Beard, which went on to win a BAFTA in 2016.  Gaumont UK is developing the series with Untapped, with Peter Beard serving as an executive producer. Corkin and James first

met on Richard Gere’s _The Benefactor, _which the former executive produced and the latter toplined. They collaborated again on A24’s _Backstabbing for Beginners_ in which James starred

alongside Ben Kingsley and they both served as executive producers. James and Corkin reside in the UK and U.S., respectively. Corkin is a Gotham Award-winning producer whose credits include

_Afterschool_ (Cannes 2008), _Martha Marcy May Marlene _(Sundance 2011, Cannes 2011, multiple Independent Spirit Award nominations), _An Oversimplification of Her Beauty _(Sundance 2012,

Gotham Award winner), _We Are What We Are_ (Sundance 2013, Cannes 2013), _Wild Canaries_ (SxSW 2014), Netflix’s_ Mercy,_ and the Olivia Wilde feature _A Vigilante, _Andrew Renzi’s

documentary _They Fight _and the upcoming horror pic _The Beach House. _ James starred in Lionsgate’s near $765M-grossing _Divergent _franchise. He rose to fame with his guest- starring role

on _Downton Abbey _which led to his breakthrough role as Tobias “Four” Eaton in the _Divergent _pics. Behind the camera he executive produced the true story thriller _Backstabbing for

Beginners _and the recently released _Lying and Stealing _with Cota Films. Last month, James wrapped production on Andrew Davies’ _Sanditon_ (based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel) on

which James stars and serves as an executive producer.