Asphalt City Movie Details:
| Original title | Black Flies |
| Based on | Black Flies by Shannon Burke |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Thriller, Drama |
| Release date | May 18, 2023 (Cannes) March 29, 2024 (United States) |
| Running time | 2hr |
| Age rating | R |
| Cast | Sean Penn Tye Sheridan Gbenga Akinnagbe Raquel Nave Kali Reis Michael Pitt Katherine Waterston Mike Tyson |
| Directed by | Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire |
| Screenplay by | Ryan King Ben Mac Brown |
| Produced by | Warren Goz Eric Gold Christopher Kopp Lucan Toh Sean Penn John Ira Palmer John Wildermuth Tye Sheridan Tina Wang |
| Cinematography by | David Ungaro |
| Edited by | Saar Klein Katherine McQuerrey |
| Music by | Nicolas Becker Quentin Sirjacq |
| Production Company | Sculptor Media FilmNation Entertainment Projected Picture Works AZA Films Two & Two Pictures Dogwood Pictures |
| Distributor | Vertical Entertainment Roadside Attractions |
Asphalt City Movie Cast & Characters:
- Tye Sheridan as Ollie Cross
- Sean Penn as Gene Rutkovsky
- Katherine Waterston as Nancy
- Michael Pitt as Lafontaine
- Mike Tyson as Chief Burroughs
- Raquel Nave as Clara
- Kali Reis as Nia
- Gbenga Akinnagbe as Verdis
Storyline:
In preparation for medical school, Ollie Cross joins veteran paramedic Gene Rutkovsky on a drive through New York City.
About Asphalt City Movie:
Asphalt City (originally titled Black Flies) is an American thriller drama film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and written by Ryan King and Ben Mac Brown, based on the 2008 novel Black Flies by Shannon Burke. It stars Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Raquel Nave, Kali Reis, Michael Pitt, Katherine Waterston, and Mike Tyson.
In December 2018, Ryan King’s screenplay Black Flies, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Shannon Burke, was featured on the Black List, an annual survey of the most-liked yet unproduced scripts of the year.
By February 2019, Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire came on board to direct, with Mel Gibson and Tye Sheridan in final negotiations to star. In February 2021, Sean Penn replaced Gibson in one of the lead roles, and was reported that Open Road Films had acquired the U.S. distribution rights.
Katherine Waterston, Michael Pitt, Mike Tyson, and Raquel Nave were announced to star in the following months. Filming began in May 2022 in New York City with cinematographer David Ungaro. It was produced by Sculptor Media, FilmNation Entertainment, and Projected Picture Works.
Asphalt City had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2023, where it competed for the Palme d’Or. The film was originally set to be released in the United States by Open Road Films. In January 2024, Vertical Entertainment and Roadside Attractions acquired distribution rights and the film was released as Asphalt City on March 29, 2024.
