The Mise En Scene Company has boarded worldwide sales on “Forelock,” a dark comedy toplined by David Krumholtz and Caleb Alexander Smith, with Smith making his solo directorial debut on the project.
Smith wrote and helmed the Los Angeles-set film, in which he stars as a wannabe fitness trainer whose resemblance to a major movie star attracts the attention of Krumholtz’s Hollywood Boulevard con artist character. The duo’s partnership spirals into criminal territory in what’s being billed as a satirical take on Hollywood dreams gone wrong.
For Krumholtz, the project represents his first starring vehicle following his acclaimed supporting turn in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” The versatile actor has built a reputation through collaborations with auteur filmmakers including the Coen Brothers and Seth Rogen, most recently earning praise for Rogen’s Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series “The Studio.”
The actor’s upcoming slate includes a role as Zor-El in DC Studios’ 2026 tentpole “Supergirl,” Scott Cooper’s Bruce Springsteen biopic “Deliver Me from Nowhere,” and A24’s “Altar.”
Smith has television credits including “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Modern Family.” He’s set for a recurring role in Ryan Murphy’s Hulu series “All’s Fair,” which stars Naomi Watts, Glenn Close and Kim Kardashian. He previously directed 2017’s “The Spearhead Effect” alongside Brandon Moore.
The supporting cast features Emily Swallow (“The Mandalorian”) and Chloe Farnworth, who appeared in A24’s “MaXXXine.”
The acquisition marks a major coup for Mise En Scéne, which has operated for five years and is positioning itself as a significant global sales agent with the deal.
“This is the kind of film that gives you faith in the future of cinema — something every passionate film company dreams of working on,” said Paul Yates, CEO of The Mise En Scene Company. “It has the flair of ‘Inherent Vice,’ the murky depths and romance of ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and the comedic brilliance of ‘Withnail and I.’ You know when you’re 15 and falling in love with cinema, and you see a film that stays with you for the rest of your life? ‘Forelock’ is that film.”
“Forelock” is the inaugural production from Midnight Chimes, the new shingle launched by sports broadcaster Lindsay McCormick and Smith. McCormick produces with Russ Hammonds (“The Diplomat,” “Boardwalk Empire”) and Krumholtz executive producing. Midnight Chimes LLC co-financed the indie.
“Mise En Scene presented us with a bold, tenacious, yet nimble vision for bringing ‘Forelock’ into the world,” McCormick said. “As we weighed options for a worldwide sales partner, MSC stood out for their taste, ingenuity, and the pristine track record they’ve built as businesspeople. Independent filmmakers put so much on the line when crafting a film, and ‘Forelock’ is no exception. From shooting across Los Angeles at a time when few dare, to raising a significant budget outside the usual packaging system, ‘Forelock’ is built to occupy rare space in the film ecosystem: an auteur-driven work with wide audience appeal.”
The production shot entirely on location in Los Angeles with BAFTA-nominated DP Roberto Schaefer (“Quantum of Solace,” “Stranger Than Fiction”) and veteran gaffer Jim Plannette (“Braveheart,” “E.T.”). The film was among the first projects to resume production following the 2023 industry strikes.
With on-location filming in Los Angeles down more than 30% over the past five years, the producers positioned the project as a love letter to the city’s contradictions.
“LA constantly finds itself at the center of national controversy, and ‘Forelock’ offers a satirical but unflinching look at the city,” McCormick noted. “From über-hip galleries on Abbot Kinney to homeless encampments lining Hollywood Boulevard, we wanted the movie to wade into the contradictions of a city teetering between fantasy and freefall.”
Yates and Rory MacDonald negotiated for Mise En Scene, with David Roth identifying the acquisition. McCormick handled the deal for Midnight Chimes.
The sales company will debut “Forelock” to select buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival.