Brian De Palma to direct action-thriller Lights Out

Brian De Palma has signed on to direct Lights Out, an upcoming action-thriller from Arclight Films and China’s Huace Pictures.

The film tells the story of a blind Chinese woman who unknowingly gets caught in a plot to expose a top-secret assassination program. Casting is underway for the film’s top roles, with hopes of an A-list Chinese actress to star as the action hero lead, according to a press release.

Lights Out is the first project coming from Aurora Alliance Films, a joint venture between Arclight and Huace, one of China’s biggest TV and film production companies.

“We’re excited and honored to be working with one of the great living film directors, Brian De Palma, on Lights Out,” said Ying Ye, the managing director of Aurora Alliance Films. “De Palma is a proven master of suspense; in the hands of the legendary director, Lights Out promises to be a thriller for the ages, full of empowering messages, harrowing plot turns and great action sequences.”

De Palma’s last directorial effort was 2012’s Passion, starring Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. A documentary about his storied film career, De Palma, screened at the Venice and New York film festivals and has been acquired by A24 for a planned 2016 release.