Neil Marshall is to write, direct and produce the action thriller “The Lair.” Highland Film Group will handle worldwide sales for the new project, which will be shopped to international buyers starting at the virtual American Film Market. Casting is now underway, with plans for principal photography to start in spring 2021. Produced by Neil Marshall / Scarlett Productions, “The Lair” portrays Royal Air Force pilot Lt. Kate Sinclair on her final flight mission when her jet is shot down over one of the most dangerous rebel strongholds of Afghanistan. She finds refuge in an abandoned underground bunker where deadly man-made biological weapons — half human, half alien and hungry for human flesh — are awakened. Sinclair barely escapes but unknowingly, tracks the creatures known as Ravagers back to a U.S. army base. “If ‘The Reckoning’ was a gothic drama in testament to the power and resilience of women, then ‘The Lair’ is my true return to full blooded horror and intense genre action in the style of ‘Dog Soldiers,’ ‘The Descent’ and ‘Doomsday.’ I’m making something scary as hell, pulse pounding and great fun. This is a crowd pleaser,” Marshall said in a statement. Marshall directed the reboot “Hellboy” and his most recent pic, “The Reckoning,” a horror adventure that stars Charlotte Kirk. The two also co-wrote the screenplay. (SD-Agencies) | 