Simon Pegg to star in apocalyptic phone comedy 'My Phone Died'
Haley Joel Osment and Mark Duplass join the cast of the dark comedy set for 2027, with Hyde Park International securing international distribution rights.
By Luca Harrison ·
Simon Pegg will play a Hollywood agent in the upcoming dark comedy My Phone Died. The film stars Mark Duplass and Haley Joel Osment alongside writer-directors Hannah Leder and Alexandra Kotcheff, who are also set to act in the project. The movie is scheduled to begin filming in the spring of 2027.
Hyde Park International acquired all international rights to the film before the American Film Market began. The deal was announced by the distribution company ahead of the event. Hyde Park International executive Carl Clifton called the script a mad gem. He described the project as hilarious and smart, noting that it offers a life-affirming view of the world.
The plot follows a global event where smartphones start exploding, causing widespread chaos. Five specific characters survive the initial wave of destruction. These include Pegg's character, Gus, an agent who narrowly escapes the disaster. Duplass plays one of Gus's self-obsessed clients who does not survive. Osment portrays a recovering alcoholic and social media influencer.
Kotcheff plays Francis, an Amish woman who left her community to be with Osment's character. Leder plays Lillie, a heavily pregnant agoraphobic wannabe-actress. The synopsis describes the apocalypse as a potential new beginning for this small group of survivors. The film is a production of Fire Tiger Films and Thank You So Much, the respective companies of the two directors.
This marks the second feature-length film that Leder and Kotcheff have written and directed together. Their previous collaboration was the 2019 indie comedy-drama The Planters. The pair said they are happy to work with the cast and Hyde Park. They noted that the story grapples with the feeling of living on the brink of innovation and self-destruction.
Simon Pegg is represented by Dawn Sedgwick Management. Haley Joel Osment works with John Griffin at Griffin Talent and Kristin Kong at MGMT. Mark Duplass is represented by Layne Murrow and Jessica DiBiase at CAA. Hannah Leder is represented by Mark Hartogsohn at Gersh. Alexandra Kotcheff was not listed with a specific agency in the release.
The film aims to capture a sense of nostalgia for simpler times amidst the chaos. The directors stated that the world currently feels unstable due to rapid changes and potential destruction. The production combines elements of dark humor with character-driven drama. The cast brings together well-known actors with the directors' unique comedic style.
