A bold question sits at the heart of this update: Angelina Jolie is taking the lead not only in front of the camera but also behind it, crafting a dark, high-stakes thriller that could redefine the modern mafia-inspired drama. Angelina Jolie has begun production on Sunny, a tense new film directed by Eva Sørhaug, with Gramercy Park Media, A Higher Standard, and Nickel City Pictures aboard. This project blends the stylings of classic gangster stories with a powerful, mother-centered premise.
Sunny centers on a female mob figure who fights fiercely to shield her two sons—and herself—from a brutal drug kingpin. As a catastrophic event unfolds, she faces a race against the clock to orchestrate a permanent escape for her family. The screenplay is penned by William Day Frank, who collaborated with Sørhaug on the story, promising a tightly wound narrative that emphasizes resilience and maternal resolve amid violence.
Production partners include Gramercy Park Media’s Nathan Klingher, Jolie herself, Nickel City Pictures’ Mark Fasano, and A Higher Standard’s Jeffrey Greenstein, working together with Choice Films. Worldwide sales are being handled by A Higher Standard, with WME Independent assisting on domestic negotiations.
Industry insiders are already buzzing about Jolie’s involvement. Fasano describes Jolie as a “tour-de-force,” suggesting audiences will be stunned by the depth she brings to a character entrenched in a brutal, survival-driven world. Klingher adds that Jolie has infused the role with a distinctive, personal touch, noting that intelligent, character-driven thrillers of this kind remain relatively rare and that the collaboration between Jolie and Sørhaug is producing a film marked by meticulous detail and commitment.
Jolie’s recent accolades include Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations for her portrayal of Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s Maria. Her forthcoming projects feature Couture, a TIFF-premiered Couture from Alice Winocour; the Marc Forster-directed comedy Anxious People; and The Initiative, a spy thriller reuniting Jolie with Doug Liman, the director of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Jolie’s representatives are WME, along with Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole.
Sørhaug, a Norwegian filmmaker, previously released the psychological thriller 90 Minutes, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Her television work includes directing episodes for AMC’s Talamasca: The Secret Order, as well as acclaimed series like Tokyo Vice and Yellowjackets. Sørhaug is represented by WME, Industry Entertainment & Redefine Entertainment, and the Nord Group.
William Day Frank is represented by Sugar23 and Hansen Jacobson & Teller.
This collaboration promises a film that leans into the grit of its world, anchored by an intense maternal lead and a director known for precise, character-driven storytelling. As Sunny moves from script to screen, the conversation around its themes—survival, family, and the lengths a parent will go to protect loved ones—will likely provoke strong opinions and spirited debate. Do you think this portrayal will break new ground in mafia thrillers, or will it echo familiar tropes of the genre? Share your thoughts on where Sunny should push boundaries in the comments.
