The thriller Eastern Promises marks the first collaboration between David Cronenberg and Robert Lantos in seven years, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying.

‘Various scripts came up during that seven years. We went back and forth, and ultimately came upon this script,’ says Lantos on the phone from L.A. ‘[Eastern Promises] was the film David wanted to make.’

Lantos was on board to produce the Cronenberg-penned Painkillers in 2004, but the project was shelved after the director lost interest in the script.

Eastern Promises, a 20/80 Canada/U.K. coproduction, is from an original script by Steve Knight (Dirty Pretty Things) and is currently in production in London. Paul Webster (Pride & Prejudice) of London’s Kudos Pictures coproduces.

The story follows the ruthless Nikolai – played by Cronenberg’s History of Violence leading man Viggo Mortensen – who is tied to one of London’s most notorious Russian crime families. His world is threatened when an innocent midwife, Anna, played by Naomi Watts (21 Grams), uncovers evidence against the family.

‘The script is full of life and interesting, really accurate details that really ring true about people and places,’ Cronenberg told Playback in an earlier interview, pointing to Knight’s ability to combine character-driven narratives with a strong plot.

‘It is brilliantly written and extremely timely,’ says Lantos, who coproduces through his Serendipity Point Films (Being Julia, The Statement) in Toronto. ‘It deals with the impact upon the world of the post-communist rising class, which is frequently fuelled by illegal, violent activities.’

Lantos is concurrently in post-production in Toronto on Jeremy Podeswa’s adaptation of Anne Michaels’ novel Fugitive Pieces, which wrapped in Ontario and Greece in the summer. The story follows a young boy’s escape from Nazi-invaded Poland during World War Two.

Following Promises, Cronenberg and Lantos are slated to film the satirical drama Maps to the Stars, which would mark their fourth collaboration. The pair previously joined forces on the controversial Crash (1996) and the sci-fi thriller eXistenZ (1999).

Of Promises’ A-list cast, Lantos says Cronenberg secured Mortensen and Watts, noting that ‘actors want to work with David.’ Their salaries are likely a factor in the film’s large budget, which stands at $30 million, according to Lantos, though he wouldn’t elaborate on their contracts.

Following the 12-week shoot, which is set to wrap in February, Cronenberg will return to Toronto, where post-production on Promises will be done at Deluxe Sound & Picture.

Lantos says a fall premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival for Promises is ‘likely’ because the film won’t be ready in time for Cannes. Lantos and Cronenberg rocked the prestigious French fete in 1996 with Crash and its erotic violence.

Unlike Crash, Promises, like Cronenberg’s A History of Violence, will have more of a ‘mainstream presence’ and no censorship problems, according to Lantos. ‘Crash was an extremist film. The subject matter [of the two films] is unrelated… but this film has its own extremes,’ he explains.

However, the producer dismisses the thought that the Baron of Blood has become more of a mainstream filmmaker following the widespread success of Violence, which has grossed an estimated US$58 million worldwide.

‘He would think that is preposterous,’ Lantos says. ‘David doesn’t see himself as a mainstream filmmaker. He crafts unique films that have his signature on them.’

Of his last four films, Lantos has only seen critical and box-office success with 2004’s Being Julia, which grossed over US$14 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Two other projects – Where the Truth Lies (2005) and The Statement (2003) – failed to hit the $1-million mark in North America, and met with middling reviews. Ararat (2002) grossed just under US$3 million worldwide.

But Promises has sold to countries including Australia, Germany, France and the U.K. Lantos is planning for a massive marketing launch for its theatrical release in fall ’07.

‘No one can predict how a film will perform… but I can say with certainty that it will be highly present in the Canadian, North American and international markets,’ Lantos says.

Focus Features handles U.S. and international sales, while Alliance Atlantis MPD is the Canadian distributor.

-With files from Marcus Robinson

www.serendipitypoint.com