Berlin: Jonathan Rhys Meyers Boards Mystery Thriller 'Wake Up' (Exclusive)

The film is the directorial debut of 'Hardcore Henry' cinematographer Fedor Lyass.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, Stonewall) has been cast in the lead role for Wake Up, the directorial debut of Fedor Lyass, the cinematographer who helped bring 2015's first-person perspective actioner Hardcore Henry to life.

Lyass will co-direct with Aleksandr Chernyaev (The Soldier).

The new project was unveiled Friday by VMI Worldwide president Andre Relis.

Wake Up — set to start production in March — centers around a John Doe (Meyers), who wakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of who he is, and soon finds that he’s wanted by the police for a series of murders. With the help of his nurse who believes he is innocent, he escapes from the hospital, and together they did for clues to find the true killer.

Written by Elan Zeltser, the film is being produced by Relis (The Humanity Bureau, The Recall) alongside Katerina Valenti (The 5th Execution, The Code of Cain), with Chernyaev exec producing. Lyass will also serve as cinematographer.

"With the rising interest in mysterious serial murders from mainstream audiences, we’re excited to introduce the film to buyers at Berlin," said Relis. "Jonathan Rhys Meyers is an incredibly talented actor and we know he’ll do a fantastic job in the role."

VMI Worlwide’s J.D. Beaufils and Julie Paquit will handle international pre-sales of Wake Up in Berlin.

This story first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter's Feb. 16 daily issue at the Berlin Film Festival.