Nicolas Cage and Gabriel Basso are teaming up for the first time in an upcoming true-crime thriller. The movie is based on journalist David Grann‘s investigation into the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang and will explore the rise of organized crime within the U.S. prison system.
According to Deadline, Cage and Basso have officially been cast in The Brand, a neo-Nazi crime thriller based on real events. Cage will play Carter Briggs, the feared leader of San Quentin’s dominant white prison gang, while Basso’s character remains undisclosed.
The true-crime thriller also stars Alexander Ludwig as Taylor Hartman and Maria Bakalova as Lily. Vincent Grashaw will direct the movie from a screenplay by Alessandro Camon. Grashaw is known for crime dramas including Gangland.
The Brand has been in development for more than a decade
The Brand has been in development for more than 10 years and has undergone several creative changes. The movie was initially developed as a feature film. It was later adapted into a television series before returning to a feature-film format.
In 2022, the project was announced under the title Branded, with Kieron Hawkes attached to direct. Alex Pettyfer and Frank Grillo were also set to star. However, that version did not move forward, and development eventually stalled. The latest creative overhaul appears to have moved the project forward, with preproduction expected to begin in early 2027.
The official synopsis of The Brand follows “Taylor Hartman, a young lifer taken under the wing of Carter Briggs. When authorities attempt to dismantle the gang by transferring its members nationwide, they inadvertently spread its criminal empire beyond prison walls. As Taylor rises to power, he gains the means to build a future with Lilly, the woman he loves, but finds himself torn between that future and his loyalty to Carter. With violence escalating, Taylor must decide whether he has the courage to destroy the empire he helped build.”
Cage will also serve as a producer alongside Anthony Mastromauro, Nathan Klingher, Ford Corbett, and Alessandro Camon. Executive producers include Ash Avildsen, Danielle Pelland, Joshua Harris, Mark Fasano, and Jib Polhemus.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.net.
