Cannes: Susan Sarandon to Play Grandmother of School Shooter in John Krokidas’ ‘Tunnels’

May 16, 2019

The drama, set in the wake of a school shooting, will see the star play the grandmother who raised the shooter.

Susan Sarandon has signed on to star in Tunnels, a drama from Kill Your Darlings director John Krokidas, set in the wake of a school shooting.

The Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking actress will play Ruby Love, the grandmother of a school shooter who raised the killer. When, at her job in the local supermarket, she is paired to work with the teenage brother of one of her grandson’s victims, an unlikely and inspiring friendship develops.

Following his 2013 feature debut, Kill Your Darlings — which starred Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan and Michael C. Hall — Krokidas has focused on television work, directing episodes of Empire, American Crime and Star. Tunnels will be his second feature.

TV screenwriter Victoria Rose (The Time Capsule, Brimming with Love) penned the script to Tunnels, making her feature debut.

Colin Bates and Michael Jefferson will produce the film under their Lucidity Entertainment banner alongside Circle of Confusion’s Matt Smith and Brad Mendelsohn. Ethan Terra and Cindy Bru are serving as executive producers together with Circle of Confusion’s Frank Frattaroli.

Circle of Confusion is the management and production company behind the hit AMC series The Walking Dead. Lucidity is currently in production on Son of the South, starring Lucas Till, Lucy Hale and Julia Ormond.

Highland Film Group is handling international sales on Tunnels and is shopping the project to buyers in Cannes. Also on Highlight’s Cannes slate are Vaughn Stein’s Inheritance, starring Lily Collins and Simon Pegg; Dimitri Logothetis’ Jiu Jitsu, starring Nicolas Cage; and Bruce Willis action vehicle Trauma Center.

Sarandon is represented by UTA. Krokidas is represented by UTA and Circle of Confusion.

By Scott Roxborough: The Hollywood Reporter