Black Widow's Olga Kurylenko lands next lead movie role

She's brushing shoulders with a legend.

By Dan Seddon

23 Dec 2022

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Black Widow actress Olga Kurylenko will co-headline action-thriller The Paradox Effect alongside Harvey Keitel.

News of her latest big screen venture arrived via Deadline, with cameras scheduled to roll in Italy next month.

Directed by Scott Weintrob (Apple TV+ docuseries Home) from Samuel Bartlett, Andrea Iervolino and Ferdinando Dell'Omo's script, this one finds Kurylenko's heroine confronting a ruthless kingpin (Keitel) who's holding her daughter for ransom.

She must come together with a corrupt Interpol agent, whose son is also being held hostage, to rip off a number of criminals in order to bump up the ransom. Together, they have just one hour to save their families from the wrath of Keitel's villain.

Iervolino himself shared in a brief statement: "It's thrilling in and of itself just to bring Harvey and Olga together and have them play off each other in this intense thriller that pulls no punches".

"As ILBE [Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment's] newly tapped head of production, I am excited that this is our first film of our 2023 eight-picture slate," added producer Richard Salvatore. "Working with a legend like Harvey for a third time is amazing."

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Equally pleased to be involved with this project, Red Sea Media's Roman Kopelevich commented: "We're so excited to be working with Scott and the talented Olga and of course Harvey and the team at Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment, including Rich Salvatore. This is going to be an exciting action ride that appeals to audiences across the globe."

Across his illustrious 55-year career, Keitel has appeared in countless gems such as Taxi Driver, The Piano, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk till Dawn and The Grand Budapest Hotel.