EXCLUSIVE: Carrie Coon (The White Lotus) Ben Platt (The Politician), and Lukas Gage (Smile 2) are set to star in psychological thriller, I Am Not Your Mother, which will be directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) and written by Johnson and Ryan O’Connell (Special).

Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the upcoming Cannes market on the “twisted and darkly funny psychological thriller”, which is currently in pre-production. CAA and UTA co-rep U.S. rights.

The synopsis reads: “Ollie (Platt), a young, queer director with a murky past, becomes fixated on Nora Dresden (Coon), an iconic actress in search of her comeback. When she agrees to star in his debut feature, admiration turns to obsession, and their collaboration spirals into a toxic game of control, blurring the line between artist and muse.”

Producers are Jared Ian Goldman (Russian Doll) and Zola Elgart Glassman (The Gallerist) for Mighty Engine. The film is being co-financed by Chris Quintos and Tyler Boehm of Unapologetic Projects and Naia Cucukov and Peter Richards of Working Barn Productions. 

Director Johnson won the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Waldo Salt Award for his feature The Skeleton Twins, which was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the festival. His previous features include The Parenting and Alex Strangelove.

Mister Smith’s SVP International Sales & Acquisitions Shane Kelly commented: “Craig and Ryan’s rework of the classic ‘90s obsession thriller grabbed us from the first few pages – tapping into stan culture and diva worship in an era where identity and performance are getting harder and harder to tell apart. It’s self-aware, stylish and gets just a little unhinged as it hurtles towards its shocking climax. Led by this pitch perfect cast, this is a film that will be deliciously relevant for a generation that’s fluent in how to be their own main character.”

Co-writer/director Craig Johnson added: “I am thrilled to be collaborating with Carrie, Ben and Lukas and my friends at Mighty Engine, Mister Smith, Unapologetic and Working Barn on this deranged and delicious film, written in a passionate fever with my dear friend, Ryan O’Connell. Get ready for a fierce, funny and blood-spattered good time at the movies.”

Coon is represented by UTA, and Peikoff Mahan Law Office. Platt is represented by CAA, Immersive Management, Untitled Entertainment, and Jackoway Austen. Gage is represented by WME, Luber Roklin Entertainment, and Goodman, Genow. Johnson is represented by UTA, Mosaic, and Johnson Shapiro. Mighty Engine is represented by UTA.