Robert Luketic is going outside his comfort zone. The director, best known for female-led comedies like "Legally Blonde" and "Monster-in-Law," has signed on to helm Forte Corp Pictures' "Resurface," a survival thriller set in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean floor. More from Variety Denzel Washington Appears to Fight Back Against Pushy Cannes Photographer and Yells 'Stop!' During Tense Red Carpet Moment Daisy Ridley's 'Young Woman and the Sea' Among 30 Projects to Shoot in Bulgaria in Two Years: 'That Was the Start of a Good Relationship With Disney' Japanese Producers Call for Safety Investigation After Cannes Falling Palm Tree Accident With a screenplay from Pete Bridges ("Deep Water"), "Resurface" chronicles the desperate race against time after an underwater earthquake devastates a deep-sea research mission at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Two stranded survivors must ascend 35,000 feet to the surface before their life support expires. Aussie-based Forte Corp Pictures' most recent productions include Michael Gracey's Robbie Williams biopic "Better Man," which won nine Australian AACTA awards and was nominated for an Academy Award for best visual effects. The company also backed another survival thriller with Ron Howard's "Eden" as well as George Miller's "Three Thousand Years of Longing," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022. Craig McMahon ("Better Man") will produce for Forte Corp Pictures alongside Todd Fellman ("The Portable Door"). David Conley ("Avatar: The Way of Water") will executive produce. Financing will be serviced through McMahon's Elevate Production Finance, which is presenting the project to buyers in Cannes. Principal photography will take place in Melbourne, Australia. Luketic, whose credits also include "21," says he will use silence and sonic detail to shape the film's atmosphere. "There has to be room for stillness — moments of connection that remind the audience what's at stake," he says. An experienced pilot, Luketic will draw from his aviation background to inform the film's tone and has consulted with deep-sea experts and the Royal Australian Navy to enhance realism. "At its core, this is a story about endurance and reconnection under pressure — a genre thriller that never loses sight of its humanity," McMahon said. "From the beginning, we knew this project demanded a director who could balance both scale and intimacy. Robert brings a rare blend of visual precision, emotional depth and technical command, and we're incredibly excited to have him on board." Luketic is repped by CAA, Mosaic and the law firm Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.
