Scott Bakula Teams Up With Unlikely Co-Star For New Sci-Fi Movie
Scott Bakula is returning to the science fiction genre, and you’ll be surprised to hear who he will be working with. The Quantum Leap star has joined the cast of Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh’s new film Divinity. Although it is not clear what role he will play, he joins a diverse cast that includes controversial actress Bella Thorne (Big Love, Shake It Up). Production is currently underway, but a release date has not yet been set. It will, however, likely play the film festival circuit first.
According to an exclusive report by Deadline, the film tells the tale of two mysterious brothers, played by Moises Arias (The King of Staten Island, Ender’s Game) and Jason Genao (Logan, The Get Down), who kidnap a mogul, played by Stephen Dorff (Blade, True Detective). Dorff’s character is close to unlocking the secret to human immortality, which gets the brother’s attention with a hellbent intent to stop his plans. Meanwhile, a seductive woman sets the brothers out on a journey of self-discovery. Who plays the seductive woman is not known (although Bella Thorne would fit the role), and how Scott Bakula fits in to the plot remains to be seen.
Soderberg has worked on a wide variety of projects since winning the 2000 Best Director Oscar for Traffic. The Sex, Lies, and Videotape director has produced TV series and specials (including The Knick, Godless, and The 2021 Oscars) as well as films (Syriana, Michael Clayton, and Bill & Ted Face the Music). He’s also directed Erin Brockovich, Magic Mike, the Ocean’s film series starring George Clooney, and Haywire starring Gina Carano. This is his first time working with Scott Bakula, who has spent the last eight years heading NCIS: New Orleans playing Special Agent Dwayne Pride.
The film will be unlike other sci-fi films, as Soderberg will partner with Eddie Alcazar, whom he once mentored. Alcazar has developed a filming technique called “Metascope” which combines stop-motion animation with live-action film, and elements of this technique will be used in the film. It’s a unique visual that Alcazar featured in his 2021 short film The Vandal (a collaboration with Darren Aronofsky). The trailer for it is included below, which will give you an idea of what is to come. It will likely be a unique production to film for many of those involved, but it should feel familiar for Scott Bakula and Stephen Dorff, who have often worked on special effects-heavy productions.
Also joining Scott Bakula, Stephen Dorff, and Bella Thorne are Chris Santos (The Girlfriend Experience), Danielia Maximillian (Pam & Tommy), Lydia Bielen, Karrueche Tran, Mike O’Hearn, and Emily Willis. Cypress Hills’ DJ Muggs is the film’s musical composer.
In addition to Quantum Leap and NCIS: New Orleans, Scott Bakula is perhaps best known for playing Captain Jonathan Archer, the original captain of the USS Enterprise, for four seasons on Star Trek: Enterprise. He also starred in Necessary Roughness, Murphy Brown, Behind the Candelabra, Desperate Housewives, and Chuck with Shazam’s Zachary Levi. He most recently played himself on the FX vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows.
