Miramax, the global film and television producer and distributor, along with the film's producers AntColony Films and Brightlight Pictures announced today the start of principal photography on the supernatural thriller The 9th Life of Louis Drax starring Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey, The Fall), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Need for Speed, Triple Nine) and Sarah Gadon (Dracula Untold, The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Joining Dornan, Paul and Gadon in supporting roles are Oliver Platt (X-Men: First Class, Chef, Frost/Nixon) playing Louis Drax's psychologist, Dr. Perez; Molly Parker (House of Cards, The Road) as Detective Dalton; Barbara Hershey (Black Swan, Falling Down) who will play Violet, Louis' grandmother; and Aiden Longworth (Hector and the Search for Happiness, A Christmas Story 2) in the title role of Louis Drax.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax is being directed by Alexandre Aja (Horns, The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension).

The feature screenplay, based on Liz Jensen's best-selling novel of the same title, was written by Max Minghella. Producers are Tim Bricknell (Breaking and Entering, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) and Minghella (The Two Faces of January) of AntColony Films, Shawn Williamson (The Interview, 50/50) of Brightlight Pictures and Aja. Rosanne Korenberg (Half Nelson, Hard Candy) is executive producer.

Brightlight Pictures will handle distribution of the film in Canada and Miramax will distribute throughout the rest of the world with Sierra/Affinity as the international sales agent. Zanne Devine, Executive Vice President, Production and Development, is overseeing the project on behalf of Miramax.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax begins on Louis Drax's 9th birthday, when he miraculously survives a near fatal fall. His doctor Allan Pascal (Dornan) finds himself tangled between his professional responsibility and his growing affections for the boy's mother (Gadon), a fragile young beauty. When Louis' father (Paul) comes under suspicion, Pascal realizes other mysterious forces may be at work. With echoes of The Sixth Sense and Gone Girl, The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a supernatural thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns.

The film is a Canadian/UK co-production.