EXCLUSIVE: Fabian Munsterhjelm, the director behind Oscar-shortlisted live-action short film Pantyhose, has set his debut feature. The Finnish helmer is reteaming with Pantyhose producers Wildhog Productions for The Wrong Man (working title), an action-comedy about the wrong man being freed from jail and the high-stakes chase that follows.
Described as an “absurd comedy of mistaken identity that leaves no one safe,” the story follows tax evader Antii Mäkelä who is unexpectedly pardoned and released from prison only to be mistaken for a legendary hitman with the exact same name. Caught between a blind gangster, a desperate president and ruthless government agents, Antii accepts multiple lucrative offers without an actual plan to survive them. When the real assassin is finally released, Antii must run for his life, dodging killers, gangsters and the state itself.
Munsterhjelm co-writes the script with Sebastian Granskog. The low budget film ($2M) has the support of the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and will look to collaborate with Cyon Media, a Finnish tech company that has developed a programmable Web3 player connecting content, IP, licensing and analytics.
Cyon Media, which is also releasing Pantyhose on its new streaming service, is currently developing a blockchain-informed crowdfunding layer designed to channel audience demand directly into production financing.
“I’m so excited to work again with Wildhog Productions on another fantastic comedy, and this time it has some action,” said Munsterhjelm. “I want to prove that small-budget action comedies can be made for wide audiences. This film is proudly what it is: a shoe-string production replacing money with humor, strong characters and intentionally ridiculous effects.”
Producer Jenni Ripatti added: “This feature feels like a natural continuation of our work on Pantyhose with Fabian. Pantyhose has proven to be an internationally appealing short film, with a comedic twist that travels. We have all the confidence that we can make this absurd half-a-dollar action piece into a fun and exciting adventure that the whole family can enjoy together.”
