World’s First Vertical Feature In Production From ‘Unfriended’ Producer Timur Bekmambetov

The future is now! Despite how cinephiles may feel, the world’s first vertical feature film is officially in the works from producer Timur Bekmambetov. The film, titled V2. Escape From Hell, will see Bekmambetov serve as director and executive producer. The Russian filmmaker has been credited as one of the creators of the “screenlife” format, which lets events unfold from the perspective of a computer, phone, or tablet screen, as seen in Unfriended and Searching, both of which Bekmambetov produced.

V2. Escape From Hell will tell the story of Mikhail Devyatayev (Pavel Priluchny), a captured Soviet pilot who leads an escape from a German concentration camp by hijacking an aircraft. Based on real WWII events celebrating their 75th anniversary this month, the film is set to begin filming next week in Russia on a budget of $10 million.

Russian production companies Bazelevs and Voenfilm are set to produce the film in partnership with Russia’s biggest mobile phone operator MTS, which will release V2. Escape From Hell locally on its digital platform MTS Media. The english-language international version of the film is set for release in early 2021, according to Deadline.

Bekmambetov previously worked on Dead Of Night, the first entirely vertical series, which was developed exclusively for Snapchat.