Aaron Pierre to Lead Netflix Action Thriller

Aaron Pierre will star in the action thriller Fairytale in New York, a project Netflix acquired from Lionsgate after a competitive bidding process. The film is directed by Jalmari Helander, known for Sisu, and follows a taxi driver in New York City on Christmas Eve. After his estranged son’s valuable gift is stolen, the driver begins a night of vengeance.

The screenplay is an original spec script written by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani. These writers previously worked on John Rambo. Helander will direct the feature, which centers on Pierre’s character navigating a relentless pursuit through the city.

Pierre recently appeared as John Stewart in the HBO and DC Studios series Lanterns. He also acted in Rachel Morrison’s Love of Your Life and provided a voice for Sony Pictures Animation’s Goat. His previous work with Netflix includes Rebel Ridge, where he had a breakout role.

Erin Westerman, president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, confirmed the partnership in a statement. She noted that this is Lionsgate’s third collaboration with Helander. Westerman described Helander as an exceptional filmmaker who balances visceral action with character emotion. She called Pierre a major movie star with commanding screen presence and undeniable charisma.

Beau Flynn of FlynnPictureCo and Kevin King Templeton of Templeton Media are producing the film. Scott Sheldon, Haines, and Noshirvani are serving as executive producers. James Myers and Pavan Kalidindi will oversee production for Lionsgate. The movie continues a successful run between the two companies, which previously produced War Machine for Netflix.

Pierre is represented by WME, Anonymous Content, Entertainment 360, B-Side Management, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. The acquisition marks a new phase for the project, moving from the production company to the streaming platform for distribution.