DNEG Boards Lucente’s ‘Sinbad’ With March 2029 Delivery

DNEG has joined Francesco Lucente’s fantasy adventure “Sinbad” as co-financier and producer, with delivery scheduled for March 2029.

DNEG is the visual effects house on Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” and the companies announced the “Sinbad” deal ahead of the Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM market. Hong Kong-based Cappu Films handles international sales.

The companies said pre-production is due to begin in early 2027. Cappu first showed “Sinbad” to buyers at the Busan market. Cappu said sales conversations remain active as casting and the wider package take shape.

What does DNEG’s involvement change for “Sinbad”?

For buyers, the practical change is that DNEG now co-finances and produces the project, while Cappu Films continues to build the international sales package. The arrangement brings an effects specialist directly into the film’s financing and production structure.

DNEG says its teams have won eight Oscars for visual effects. Its credits include “Inception,” “Interstellar,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two.”

Lucente wrote the script and will direct. His description of the film was expansive:

“‘Sinbad’ is a story that has captured imaginations for generations, and our ambition is to bring it to life on a scale and with a sense of wonder that audiences have never experienced before.”

He continued:

“We’re creating a breathtaking world of adventure, extraordinary creatures, ancient mysteries and unforgettable characters, while keeping the heart of the story deeply human.”

Lucente added:

“Having DNEG’s extraordinary creative talent behind us, together with Cappu Films’ international reach and commitment to the project, gives us an incredible foundation to realize that vision.”

He concluded:

“We want ‘Sinbad’ to be more than a spectacular cinematic experience – we want it to be the kind of adventure that stays with audiences long after they leave the theater.”

Those ambitions remain at the development stage. Casting and the wider package have not yet been completed.

Lucente’s route from ‘Starbright’ to ‘Sinbad’

The film brings Cappu back to Lucente after their collaboration on “Starbright.” Janice Woo of Cappu Films said the earlier work made the company excited to reunite with the director on a project of this scale.

“DNEG’s involvement is particularly compelling for a fantasy adventure such as ‘Sinbad.’ We introduced the project to buyers in Busan and look forward to developing those conversations as the package comes together,” Woo said.

Lucente’s fantasy feature “Starbright” counts Ted Levine, John Rhys-Davies and Diego Boneta among its cast. He also directed the drama “Badland.”

The sales map

Cappu’s sales arrangements cover a broad international slate, with some territories defined broadly and others named individually in the company’s territory list:

• Parts of Asia and Europe
• The CIS, Latin America and the Caribbean
• The Middle East and Africa
• Some Pacific island markets
• China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, German-speaking Europe, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Eastern Europe

Cappu’s wider business

Cappu separately handles international sales for “A Grim Life,” a supernatural thriller starring Joseph Mazzello and set at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles.

The company works with independent filmmakers on arthouse and commercial features. Its catalogue spans horror, action, fantasy and arthouse films, alongside library titles from Hong Kong’s Golden Era and television series.

The next concrete checkpoints are the completion of casting and the wider package, pre-production in early 2027 and delivery in March 2029. For buyers, the partnership now has to turn its Busan conversations into a fully formed production package before that schedule begins.