Avengers actor Anthony Mackie to star alongside Pearl Thusi in new flick

Award-winning US actor Anthony Mackie is heading to South Africa to star in a film alongside local actress Pearl Thusi.

Anthony, who played the role of The Falcon in blockbuster The Avengers, has joined the cast of the international film Blue Mauritius. The film follows the story of international thieves on the hunt for a rare set of stamps which hold the key to unlocking treasure in Mauritius.

“Anthony Mackie brings such a fresh perspective to the cast and the character. He’s an incredibly talented‚ versatile actor who truly takes the project to the next level‚” said Dexter Davis‚ CEO of D Street Media‚ the company producing the film. Dexter serves as executive producer with actor‚ rapper and presenter Nick Cannon.

The film is part of a larger effort by Dexter to create a star system for SA and put the country on the international film industry map.

“We're creating platforms and opportunities for South African and African talent to become more internationally recognised. Developing content that's more commercial for a wider audience and pairing African talent with internationally known actors is the model‚” he said.

D Street’s president Ernest Napoleon said: ““We believe we can achieve what 12 Years a Slave did for Lupita Nyong’o. Had it not been for her very famous co-stars Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt‚ whose fame brought in audiences from all over the world‚ we may not have known who Lupita Nyong’o is today.”

Blue Mauritius is the first of Dexter's projects to be filmed in the picturesque town of Port Shepstone‚ where he is in the process of setting up South Coast Film Studios. The project will break ground in March 2018 and be up and running in early 2019. Additional filming will take place in Cape Town.

“It's going to have a substantial effect on the entire south coast economy. We see the studio as being a beacon of light and opportunity for not only people working directly in the film business‚ but  an opportunity to train young people in an array of different industries that support film and television production."

The Blue Mauritius is expected to be released at the end of 2018.