The romantic science fiction thriller, “Passengers,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, will be released Dec. 21 by Sony Pictures, and Brentwood resident Ori Marmur is one of the producers.
The movie, written by Jon Spaihts and directed by Morten Tyldum, follows Pratt and Lawrence, passengers traveling through space on a luxury starship to a new home on a new planet. They are in suspended animation for the journey but due to a malfunction on the ship, mysteriously wake up 90 years before any of the other passengers or crew.
Marmur recently spoke with Brentwood News about the film, calling it an original idea that is both “epic and intimate.”
Brentwood News: What was your role in helping bring this film to the screen?
Ori Marmur: I read the screenplay several years ago and was blown away. I met with [Jon Spaihts] and tried desperately to get involved. Unfortunately the rights were spoken for [but eventually] the rights changed hands.
I made it my mission to get involved and did everything I possibly could to get the film made. I pinch myself every day that [co-producer] Neal Moritz and I were not only able to get involved as producers, but were also able to put the film together and get it made.
I moved down to Atlanta for pre-production and the duration of the shoot and flew home every weekend to see my family. We did post production in LA and I cannot wait for my family and friends to see it. I am very proud of it. We all are.
What is your connection to Brentwood?
I grew up in Los Angeles. I love movies. I feel very fortunate and grateful that I get to work in an industry that I love every day. I also feel even more fortunate and grateful that I have an amazing wife and three amazing children who could not be any more supportive of me even though my job takes me away for several months at a time.
Leaving them during the school year is one of the hardest things about my work and without their support it would be impossible. Family is everything. I wish we could shoot every movie in L.A. but that’s a longer conversation.
We have lived in Brentwood for 12 years and we could not be any happier. It suits my family and our lifestyle perfectly. We are in close proximity to incredible schools, terrific shops, restaurants, parks, the beach and we live on a quiet street where all of the neighbors know each other and we are all friends. What’s better than that?
