LaKeith Stanfield and Joey King will star in Safe Space, a sci-fi comedy that takes the familiar problem of a disastrous rebound relationship into unfamiliar territory: romance with an alien.
Directed by Gillian Wallace Horvat, the film follows Sherrie, an intelligent but insecure scientist played by King. After leaving a toxic relationship with a colleague, she becomes involved with an attractive extraterrestrial, played by Stanfield. Her fresh start turns into what the filmmakers describe as the most toxic relationship in the galaxy.
The premise positions Stanfield as an unconventional romantic counterpart, with the alien encounter serving as the foundation for a satire about sex, love and destructive relationship patterns. Escaping one bad partner, the story suggests, does not necessarily mean escaping the habits that helped sustain that relationship.
For Stanfield, whose credits include Atlanta, Sorry to Bother You and his Oscar-nominated performance in Judas and the Black Messiah, the project offers another role that pairs an unusual concept with recognizable human behavior.
Horvat, the filmmaker behind I Blame Society, brings an established interest in uncomfortable comedy and social satire. In a statement reported by Variety, she praised King and Stanfield’s chemistry and described working with them as a creative realization of her screenplay.
French sales company Lucky Number is introducing the project to international buyers at the American Film Market, alongside CAA Media Finance and WME Independent. A promotional reel is planned for buyers.
A release date has not been announced. For audiences, the immediate attraction is the pairing: King as a scientist seeking a healthier connection and Stanfield as a visitor whose arrival makes her love life considerably more complicated.
