A Visionary Film, First Line Films, and The Vladar Company today announced Coerte Voorhees (The First Line – Now on Netflix) is set to direct Canyon Del Muerto, based on the true story of Ann Axtell Morris, one of America’s first female archaeologists. Voorhees penned the script based on Ann’s two books and will also produce this historical epic. Abigail Lawrie (Amazon’s Tin Star, The Man with the Iron Heart) will star as Ann alongside Tom Felton (the Harry Potter franchise, Ophelia), Val Kilmer (upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, Heat, The Doors, Thunderheart), Elias Koteas (The Thin Red Line, Zodiac, Shooter, Crash), Ewen Bremner (Wonder Woman, Trainspotting), Bronson Webb (Kingdom of Heaven, Ted Lasso), and Hanako Footman (Netflix’s The Crown, Guns Akimbo).
Lauren Selig, Edwin Mejia Jr, Luke Daniels, and Jeff Gum will Executive Produce alongside Voorhees and his brother John who are producing under their “A Visionary Film” banner, with “First Line Films” and “The Vladar Company.” Spiro Frentzas, John Monckton, Vernon LaVia, Leonard J. Brink, Roger Welp, Jay Stamatis, Jeri Calvetti and Thomas Cali also serving as Executive Producers. Jeff Botelho and Mary Munez will also co-executive produce.
Lisa London and Catherine Stroud are casting the film, which is slated to start production on October 26th in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The film is shooting on location across the Southwest and the Yucatan with special Covid-19 measures and protocols in place in archaeological and cultural heritage sites throughout North America and Mexico, including Canyon De Chelly and Mayapan, in collaboration with the Navajo Nation, National Park Service, and Government of Yucatan.
Canyon Del Muerto is the true story of Ann Axtell Morris (Lawrie), America’s first female archaeologist who was a co-discoverer of North America’s first civilization. Ann was married to Earl Halstead Morris (Felton) who, along with the historical character Sylvanus G. Morley (Bremner), served as a primary inspiration for Indiana Jones. The film’s screenplay is based on Ann’s two novels (Digging in Yucatan and Digging in the Southwest), optioned and adapted by Voorhees.
Coerte Voorhees explained: “Ann’s story has been with me since I was a high school student volunteer working at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History in Boulder. I want to introduce the story of this heroic and tragic, pioneering woman to audiences around the world because her story was so inspiring to me. We are honored to be working with Ann’s remaining family in addition to the Navajo Nation and National Park Service to retell her story that was lost to time.”
