Good Chaos Inks Major Deal With Searchlight: Scaling Up With ‘Sisu,’ ‘Santosh,’ and Berger’s Latest!

Good Chaos, a production company established in the UK by industry expert Mike Goodridge, has entered into a first-look agreement with Searchlight Pictures.

This partnership, which will involve Searchlight in the development and production of films with Good Chaos, arrives at a time when the London-based enterprise is experiencing significant growth. Recently, it celebrated the Oscar nominations for international feature films for two of its productions: Baltasar Kormakur’s Icelandic love story “Touch” and Sandhya Suri’s crime thriller set in India, “Santosh,” both of which represented the UK.

Looking ahead, Good Chaos is set to present Shih-Ching Tsou’s “Left Handed Girl” at Cannes in the Critics’ Week section. The film is co-written by Sean Baker, a recent Oscar favorite and regular collaborator of Tsou. Additionally, the company is working on “Orphan,” the latest project from “Son of Saul” director Laszlo Nemes, which is currently in post-production.

In a completely different genre, Sony has announced a sequel to Good Chaos’ most successful box office film to date, the 2022 WWII action film “Sisu.” Co-produced with SubZero Film Entertainment and directed by Jalmari Helander, the film stars Jorma Tommila. Stephen Lang joins the cast in “Sisu 2,” set for a wide release in late November, humorously coinciding with the release of “Wicked: For Good.”

“The sequel is an absolute powerhouse; it’s bigger and bloodier,” Goodridge comments, noting the increased budget from the first film’s $6.5 million, which grossed over $14 million.

Netflix’s forthcoming “The Ballad of a Small Player” marks a significant step up for Good Chaos, being their largest and most ambitious project yet. Starring Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton, this psychological thriller is based on Lawrence Osborne’s novel about a gambler and was filmed in the iconic casinos of Macau. Edward Berger directs, coming off successive hits with “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Conclave.”

“It was the first book I ever optioned,” reveals Goodridge, who secured the rights shortly after leaving his role as CEO of Protagonist Pictures in 2017. Berger, known for his work on “Patrick Melrose” and the BAFTA-winning “All Quiet,” was attached early to the project.

Goodridge admits that securing Berger was competitive as the director was highly sought after at the time. “He remained committed to us despite the high demand, which is incredible,” Goodridge adds.

With “The Ballad of a Small Player” nearing completion, Goodridge plans to focus on producing more large-scale films alongside nurturing first-time directors and fresh talent.

“As we successfully wrap up ‘Ballad,’ which is significantly larger than our earlier projects, our aim is to transition towards more ambitious, bigger-budget films,” he explains. “We will continue to support and develop smaller projects, but we are definitely scaling up.”

Additionally, Good Chaos is venturing into television with several projects underway. “Securing a TV commission is challenging for a new player in the industry,” Goodridge acknowledges. The company is collaborating with acclaimed writers such as Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Ava Wong Davies, Tony Marchant, and Oliver Lansley on various scripted series.

Leading this new phase alongside Goodridge is a team comprising producer James Bowsher, managing director Yoav Rosenberg, head of development Catriona Renton, and coordinators Sydney Oberfeld and Ella Ritchie.

Despite the new focus, Goodridge affirms that the international outlook of Good Chaos remains steadfast. “Unlike many British companies that primarily look westward towards the U.S., we are committed to a global perspective, involving filmmakers from Europe and beyond,” he concludes.