'The Test': John Boyega Will Star In The New "Contained Thriller" From Director Gavin Hood
John Boyega has his next project lined-up. He'll star in The Test for director Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ender's Game), described as a "contained thriller" about a behavioral psychologist and an immigrant dealing with a terrorist group in an "authoritarian near-future." It's an adaptation of the Sylvain Neuvel book of the same name.
More John Boyega is never a bad thing, so let's all take solace in the knowledge that he already has something new in the works. According to Deadline, Boyega is set to star with Payman Maadi in The Test, a new thriller from director Gavin Hood. And not just any thriller, but a contained thriller! Which just means it's going to be a rather small production since big productions are kind of iffy right now what with the deadly virus that has yet to magically go away.
In the movie, "a soft-spoken immigrant (Maadi) taking a citizen evaluation test, and a brilliant young behavioral psychologist (Boyega) supervising 'the test' confront a terrorist group lead by a far-right fanatic." It's an adaptation of the book of the same name, written by Sylvain Neuvel. The book's synopsis is even more vague, if you can believe it:
Britain, the not-too-distant future.
Idir is sitting the British Citizenship Test.
He wants his family to belong.
Twenty-five questions to determine their fate. Twenty-five chances to impress.
When the test takes an unexpected and tragic turn, Idir is handed the power of life and death.
How do you value a life when all you have is multiple choice?
How indeed! Hood said that the project is "a heart-pounding psychological thriller, set in an authoritarian near-future that grabbed me by the throat and left me reeling."
Truth be told, this synopsis isn't doing much for me. But I'm a big fan of Boyega, and I'm looking forward to his post-Star Wars career. Hopefully, more filmmakers are going to use him to his full potential. He'll next appear in Red, White and Blue, a segment of Steve McQueen's Small Axe anthology which is making its debut at the New York Film Festival this month.