"Europa" marks a bold artistic pivot for both actresses, showcasing their dramatic range beyond genre franchises. The film positions Allan and Pedraza as serious leading ladies capable of carrying an emotionally complex thriller.
Sources close to production reveal this is the second collaboration between directors Franklin and Marchetta and producer Featuristic Films, suggesting a tight creative unit betting big on repeat collaborations over risky new partnerships.
"Salvable," their previous film starring Shia LaBeouf, reached No. 1 crime position in the U.K. on Amazon Prime. "Europa" is scheduled to begin production later this year with filming across France and Spain.
With two heavy hitters from prestige TV franchises and a proven directing duo behind them, "Europa" has all the ingredients for a breakout hit—if they can deliver on that Thelma & Louise promise without falling into tired road movie clichés.
Two of television's most recognizable faces are heading to the big screen together, and this pairing is generating serious buzz. Freya Allan—best known for her starring role in Netflix's "The Witcher" and her turn as a lead in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"—has signed on to star opposite María Pedraza, the Spanish actress who became a global phenomenon through her work on "Money Heist" and "Elite." Their upcoming film, "Europa," is being billed as a contemporary take on "Thelma & Louise," but with a distinctly European twist that promises something fresh for audiences tired of American road trip formulas.
The project comes from the filmmaking duo Bjorn Franklin and Johnny Marchetta, who previously collaborated with Featuristic Films on their debut feature "Salvable"—a crime thriller starring Shia LaBeouf, Toby Kebbell, and James Cosmo. That earlier effort clearly caught some attention: according to Variety's reporting, "Salvable" climbed to the No. 1 crime position in the U.K. on Amazon Prime after securing distribution through Grindstone/Lionsgate and Vertical in both the U.S. and U.K. markets.
Now the same team is doubling down on their creative partnership with "Europa," suggesting everyone involved sees real potential in this follow-up. The plot synopsis reveals Arielle, a young British woman portrayed by Allan, who impulsively flees London and embarks on a drive across France and Spain—an escape that leads to an intense relationship forcing her to confront grief, identity, and belonging. The description positions "Europa" as something more emotionally layered than a standard thriller, with the filmmakers explicitly calling it "a raw cinematic odyssey through a fractured Europe" in their official statement.
"We're blending emotional intimacy with the rebellious energy of a road movie thriller," Franklin and Marchetta explained. "We wanted to make something emotionally immediate and cinematic at the same time—a film that feels intimate, alive and completely immersed in the places and people it encounters." The supporting cast adds additional weight to this production. Toby Kebbell, who appeared alongside LaBeouf in "Salvable" as well as in major franchises like "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," is aboard, along with William Abadie, known for his work on "Emily in Paris" and "And Just Like That." The crew list reads like a who's-who of rising talent: casting director Aisling Knight returns from their previous collaboration, production designer Sabrina Linder comes fresh off BAFTA-winning success with "I Swear," and cinematographer Simon Plunkett rounds out the team.
French co-producer Fabrice Lambot of Phase 4 Productions is handling European production duties, with filming set to take place predominantly in France and Spain. Featuristic's Julien Loeffler and James Kermack expressed particular enthusiasm about continuing their partnership with Franklin and Marchetta. "We felt a real affinity towards 'Europa' when they brought it to us," they said in a joint statement. "Featuristic Films was born and built by us, an Englishman and Frenchman with strong European ties, and so this felt like a natural fit for the slate." With key distribution and financing reportedly being finalized ahead of production's later 2026 start date, all signs point to "Europa" becoming a priority project for everyone involved.
