Rise of Skywalker Second Director Gets Her Own Movie ‘Shadow Force’

Although it’s a second unit director in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, A n New York City native, Victoria Mahoney had made a mark for herself as the first woman that ever directed a Star Wars film. Victoria Mahoney had signed on with Lionsgate to helm a drama action “Shadow Force” starring Kerry Washington (The Last King of Scottland, Django Unchained) and Sterling K. Brown (Black Panther, TV’s This is Us), from the writer Leon Chills and Joe Carnahan, which Leon Chills credits included TV’s Spinning Out and marked as his feature debut as a writer, while Joe Carnahan is a veteran director/writer that included with the smash hit films such as Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team, Bad Boys for Life, El Chicano, 2018’s Death Wish and many more.

Shadow Force tells a story about an estranged husband and wife with a bounty on their heads who must go on the run with their son to avoid a unit of shadow ops that has been sent to kill them. Produced by Stephen “Dr” Love, who is producing the film through his production company, Made with Love Media with Quinn Curry overseeing the project through the company. Kerry Washington besides being in the film, also serves as a producer in the film by using her production company Simpson Street as well as Sterling K. Brown to serve a producer through his production company Indian Meadows Productions and Simpson Street’s production company, Pilar Savone. The film is executive produced by Brown’s Indian Meadows Productions’ Danielle Reardon, Jennifer Wiley-Stockton and Katherine Aktinson. The film is also overseeing by Aaron Janus, and Aaron Edmonds.

Victoria Mahoney, besides a second unit director in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, had been always in-demand director that steadily helming popular hit TV series such as Lovecraft Country, Grey’s Anatomy, Queen Sugar, American Crime, I Am the Night, Claws, and Power. She also had hired and worked with top directors and producers in Hollywood such as J.J. Abrams, John Ridley, Patty Jenkins, Ava DuVernay, and Debbie Allen.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President of Production, Erin Westerman is very thrilled and glad to have Victoria Mahoney to helm Shadow Force, “Victoria is one of the most impressive and in-demand directors working today,” said Erin Westerman. “Like with all of her work, she will bring iconic action, warmth, style, and gravitas to Shadow Force. We know she, along with Kerry and Sterling and the talented production team will elevate this exciting production.” “We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Victoria Mahoney,” stated Kerry Washington and Sterling K. Brown. “Her vision is inspiring. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her artistry and insight have already deepened this electrifying project.”

Victoria Mahoney’s first feature debut was back in 2011 with “Yelling to the Sky,” which made to the world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for a Golden Bear. “Yelling to the Sky” was developed through the Directors and Screenwriters Sundance Institute Labs, which was named an Auerbach Fellow, Annenberg Fellow, Cinereach Fellow, Marryland Fellow, Tribeca Fellow, and IFP Narrative Lab Fellow.

Victoria Mahoney is represented by one of the top agencies in Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as well as Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano. With Robert Melnik negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate. There is no release date or when the production of Shadow Force will begin. But with Hollywood is back in production, the speculation will start filming sometimes in 2021 for a 2022 release.

Written By Pat Kusnadi

Syndicated From Culture Slate