Earlier this year, fans learned that Robbie and Stephen Amell had been working on a massive project outside of The Flash and Arrow respectively. The two actors revealed a teaser trailer for Code 8, a short-film they created and hoped to see made into a feature-length film. A successful fan-funded campaign helped the actors get enough publicity to green-light the mutant thriller, and now, Robbie has said the pair hope their film will get a big budget.
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Speaking with Inverse, Robbie explained that “the movie keeps growing. We’re now looking at a $14-15 million budget.” When the two actors launched their Indiegogo fundraiser a few months ago, they were blown away to find that their campaign raised more than $1 million from over 20,000 backers.
“The Indiegogo did exactly what we needed it to do, which was prove that there was a fan base, develop some interest, and kick off the additional funding,” Robbie explained.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Code 8, then you should definitely check out the short-film online. The video has more than 1 million views on Youtube as it tells an original story that focuses on mutants. The film is set in a world where over 4% of the population have special powers, but instead of being turned into heroes, these citizens are turned into outcasts and forced into poverty. The short-film follow Robbie’s mutant character as he tries to earn a meager living and ultimately comes in conflict with the law.
According to Robbie, Stephen and he wanted to make “this short to prove to our fans and to ourselves that we could do something amazing. We think it turned out pretty damn well, and now it’s time to hit the big leagues.”
“The short film is just an introduction to this world. We want to delve deeper! But, we hate spoilers, so we won’t say too much about the story. We can say this: this movie will be intense, it will feel real, and you will see a side of Robbie and Stephen that you haven’t seen before. Oh, and there will be robots, superpowers, and a ton of bada** action,” he gushed.
If the pair get their expected budget, then it seems like that Robbie’s promise of special effects and killer fight sequences will come true. Code 8 will begin shooting next year in Canada since the project will be eligible for tax breaks up north. Stephen will spend his hiatus from Arrow to film Code 8 in Toronto alongside other actors like Aaron Abrams, Chad Donella, and Alfred Rubin Thompson.
[H/T] Inverse
