DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: An enticing-looking package is coming together for Boy Kills World, an action movie set in a dystopian fever dream reality that is gearing up to shoot in South Africa.

Bill Skarsgard (Deadpool 2, It Chapter Two) will lead the cast as protagonist Boy, a deaf mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he escapes to the jungle and is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death. Also attached are Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Bill and Ted Face the Music), who will play assassin June 27, and martial arts expert Yayan Ruhian (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, The Raid: Redemption), who will be Boy’s mentor.

German filmmaker Moritz Mohr is set to make his feature directing debut on the project. His previous short films include Akumi, which was an award-winner in Germany. Mohr put together a detailed previsualization of the film’s cinematic approach, which caught the eye of Sam Raimi, who will now produce the feature through his banner Raimi Productions alongside Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment.

Also producing are Zainab Azizi of Raimi Productions, Stuart Manashil of Novo, Dan Kagan and Andrew Childs of Vertigo Entertainment, and Reza Brojerdi of Ventaro Film. CAA Media Finance will represent domestic rights and arranged the project’s financing with Simon Swart and Wayne Fitzjohn of Nthibah Pictures and Alex Lebovici of Hammerstone Studios.

The screenplay was written by Arend Remmers (Sløborn) and Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury: The Movie). Nancy Nayor is casting.

Said Raimi commented, “I am thrilled to be partnering up again with Roy Lee on Moritz Mohr’s Boy Kills World. Moritz has a brilliant sense for action, humor, and world building that I just cannot wait for the world to see. We are excited to be collaborating with Nthibah and Hammerstone to bring Moritz’s unique film to life.”

Added Simon Swart, CEO of Nthibah Pictures, added, “Boy Kills World is set in a distinct dystopian world, combining real world themes with a stylized look that is fresh, cool and original, borrowing from the best of graphic novels. With a script that combines wild innovative action sequences, a sense of humor and a lot of crazy, this film has the potential to be a worldwide hit and potential franchise property.”