Naomi Watts to Star in New York City Blackouts Thriller

Twin Peaksstar Naomi Watts will take the lead inThe Wolf Hour , a psychological thriller set during the New York City blackouts of 1977 . Writer / managing director Alistair Banks Griffin is make the moving picture as the follow - up to his 2010 Cannes Film Festival Directors ' Fortnight entryTwo Gates of Sleep .

The pic substance on June Leigh ( Watts ) , a ' LX - era self-aggrandizing - shot activist who has fallen on hard times by the late ' 70s . An unknown teaser forces Leigh to battle her demons during the 1977 New York City blackout , a tangible - lifespan incident where most of the metropolis lose superpower for two days , creating tensions that spilled over into far-flung looting , vandalism and fire-raising , and ultimately lead to an estimated $ 300 million in price .

As report byTHR , Naomi Watts has signed on for the lead part ofThe Wolf Hour . Watts will also take an executive producer credit alongside Felipe Dieppa , Garrett Fennelly , and Taryn Nagle of Big Picture Company , Belladonna Productions ’ Linda Moran and Automatik ’s Fred Berger , as well as Gabrielle Nadig . Brian Kavanaugh - Jones and Bailey Conway Anglewicz of Automatik will produce along with Bradley Pilz of Bradley Pilz productions . The Wolf Hourwas supported by the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and will go into output beginning in late fall of 2017 .

Alistair Banks Griffin ’s debut featureTwo Gates of Sleep , a dramatic event about two brothers hold up on a quest up the Mississippi River to honor their conk out female parent ’s final request , competed for the Camera d’Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival . The Brooklyn - based Griffin is sticking nigher to home for his second motion-picture show , which will cut into into a terrifying substantial - life incident from New York City ’s history , while also give Watts a chance to beam playing a down - and - out persona going through a excruciating experience of her own .

Watts has already had a meddling 2017 , appearing in the critically - panned Colin Trevorrow flopThe Book of Henry , the indie filmThe Glass Castle , thealready - canceledNetflix seriesGypsyand the much - discuss David Lynch Showtime event seriesTwin Peaks : The Return . Next twelvemonth , Watts will appearalongside Daisy Ridleyin the Hamlet re - imaginingOphelia . She is also tentatively sign - on forAscendant , the Starz TV movie wrap - up of theDivergentseries .

The chamaeleon - similar Watts has done her share of horror films and psychological thrillers over the years , often get a chance to explore some very dark territory ( doing so most unforgettably as the double eccentric Betty and Diane in Lynch ’s masterpieceMulholland Dr. ) . InThe Wolf Hour , both Watts and New York City itself will go tar dark , and amount nerve - to - human face with their terrorise demons .