Action Xtreme is expanding into the U.K. and Ireland film distribution space with the release of the John Hannah-led Bad Day at the Office.
The adrenaline-fueled POV action thriller, produced and directed by Chee Keong Cheung and also starring Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), will receive its U.K. premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August. It’s set to open the prestigious Midnight Madness strand before launching nationwide in cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland this October.
The move represents a significant milestone for the U.K.-based studio. Alongside an expanding production slate, Action Xtreme is working on international partnerships, talent development initiatives and its pioneering MA in Action Filmmaking with Falmouth University. In addition to overseeing the theatrical release of productions in the U.K. and Ireland, the company will also selectively acquire commercially driven action and genre titles that “align with the brand.”
Bad Day at the Office is shot entirely from the first-person perspective using GoPro cameras. The film follows a man (Hannah) who wakes in a hotel with no memory of who he is, only to discover a dead body in the bath and an army of assassins closing in. Forced to go on the run and uncover the truth while fighting for survival, he discovers he may not be the man he thought he was.
“Shot in the style of first-person shooter video games with cine-literate wit, humor, ferocious pacing and a cracking soundtrack, this is an anarchic, ultra-violent and hilarious thrill ride of pure, cinematic carnage,” said festival director at Edinburgh Emma Boa. “The ultimate Midnight Madness experience.”
Cheung, also CEO of Action Xtreme, added: “Bad Day at the Office is exactly the kind of bold, cinematic experience Action Xtreme was created for… Seeing our first theatrical release launch with a festival premiere at Edinburgh’s Midnight Madness, before rolling out nationwide, makes this an incredibly exciting moment for the company.”
Co-CEO Andreas Roald said distribution has been “a key component” of their strategy. “Over the last few years we’ve focused on building Action Xtreme into far more than a production company… We’ve created a platform that develops action filmmakers, produces films and now brings those films directly to action audiences. Distribution has been a key component of our strategy.”
The studio’s recent productions include Nigerian action thriller Son of the Soil, which became one of Netflix Africa’s most successful action releases following theatrical runs across multiple territories. Upcoming productions include sci-fi thriller The Experiment, starring Rhona Mitra and Famke Janssen, as well as several international co-productions currently in development.
