DUBAI: “Aladdin” star Mena Massoud is ready to revolutionize content from the Middle East as he announces the first slate of projects out of his company Press Play Productions, which aims to bridge the gap between Hollywood and the Middle East and North Africa.
One of the said projects involves the first non-English adaptation of a Stephen King book.
Adapting “The Doctor’s Case” and titled “The Last King,” the short film will be performed entirely in Farsi and will star an all-Iranian cast, including Maz Jobrani, Sheila Ommi, Marshall Manesh, and Tara Grammy.
Set in Iran, the film reflects the country’s ongoing “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.
The company’s other announced titles include Canadian TV series “Evolving Vegan,” as well as the films “In Broad Daylight” and festival title “Spaceman.”
“Evolving Vegan” is slated to debut this spring in Canada. It’s a six-part food, travel and adventure series that explores the exploding plant-based food scene across North America.
Press Play is currently in post-production on Massoud’s Arabic-language debut film “In Broad Daylight,” set for a theatrical release later this year. The Egyptian film is centred on a young man who, after leaving his homeland as a young boy, comes back to Egypt as a trained agent to carry out the most dangerous mission of his life.
“Spaceman,” directed by Dan Abramovici, stars Massoud, J.K. Simmons, and one of Canada’s prolific mimes, Trevor Copp.
“In the 1970s, Egypt was the third largest film industry in the world and continues to cultivate a rich and thriving industry for the whole region,” said Massoud in a statement, according to Deadline.
“Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, the UAE, and now Saudi Arabia are all breeding grounds for some of the best content in and around the African continent. Press Play will be a driving force in bringing those stories to the West. We have some really exciting projects releasing this year and in the pipeline and I’m thrilled to be bridging the gap between the MENA region and Hollywood.”
With offices in Dubai and Los Angeles, Press Play was founded by Massoud and producing partner Ali Mashayekhi, who heads content development in North America.
