DUBAI: Saudi filmmaker Lina Malaika is developing a new survival thriller titled "Red Sea," with actress and producer Natasha Lyonne attached as a producer through her companies Animal Pictures and Ariadne.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastline, the film follows a group of young friends whose luxury yacht getaway takes a deadly turn when a series of unforeseen events leaves them stranded far from land. As fear, isolation and suspicion begin to take hold, the group discovers they may not be alone in the water.
The screenplay is written by Heaven Howard and Brooke Schlegel. The project remains in development, with casting and financing currently underway, Deadline reported.
Malaika said the idea was inspired by her lifelong connection to the region. "Growing up by the Red Sea, I was always fascinated by its beauty, mythology, and depth. There is something both spiritual and terrifying about it at the same time," she said.
She added: "With Red Sea, we wanted to create a film that feels immersive, cinematic, and emotionally claustrophobic. It is a survival story, but it is also about fear, human instinct, and what happens when paradise becomes a trap."
