Victoria Mahoney, who is the first woman ever to direct a
Star War movie, will direct the Kerry Washington-Sterling K. Brown action drama
Shadow Force for
Lionsgate. Mahoney served as the second unit director on Disney’s
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Shadow Force, written by Leon Chills and Joe Carnahan, follows an estranged husband and wife with a bounty on their heads who must go on the run with their son to avoid their former employer – a unit of shadow ops that has been sent to kill them.
Shadow Force is being produced by Stephen “Dr.” Love, who is producing through his Made with Love Media company, along with Washington, who is producing through her production company Simpson Street; Brown, who is producing through his Indian Meadows Productions; and Simpson Street’s Pilar Savone. The film is executive produced by Indian Meadows’ Danielle Reardon, Jennifer Wiley-Stockton, and by Katherine Atkinson.
“Victoria is one of the most impressive and in-demand directors working today,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President of Production Erin Westerman. “Like with all of her work, she will bring iconic action, warmth, style, and gravitas to Shadow Force. We know she, along with Kerry and Sterling and the talented production team will elevate this exciting production.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Victoria Mahoney,” said Washington and Brown in a joint statement. “Her vision is inspiring. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her artistry and insight have already deepened this electrifying project.”
Mahoney has steadily been a director in demand, helming episodes of
Lovecraft Country,
Grey’s Anatomy,
Power,
American Crime,
Claws,
Queen Sugar, and
I Am the Night, among others. During her career, she has been hired by JJ Abrams, Ava DuVernay, Patti Jenkins, John Ridley, and Debbie Allen.
Mahoney directed her first feature
Yelling to the Sky in 2011, which made its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival where it was nominated for a Golden Bear. A New York City native, Mahoney developed
Yelling to the Skythrough the Directors and Screenwriters Sundance Institute Labs and was named an Auerbach Fellow, Annenberg Fellow, Cinereach Fellow, Maryland Fellow, Tribeca Fellow, and IFP Narrative Lab Fellow.
She is represented by CAA and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano. Shadow Force is being overseen at Lionsgate by Aaron Janus, and Aaron Edmonds. Quinn Curry is overseeing the production for Made With Love Media. Lionsgate’s Robert Melnik negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio.
