Blake Lively to star in thriller Dark Days at the Magna Carta

Blake Lively has signed on to star in and produce post-apocalyptic thriller Dark Days at the Magna Carta.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Netflix project has been described as a character-driven thriller set against a catastrophic event and follows a woman who goes to extreme lengths to survive and save her family. The story has been envisioned as a trilogy, meaning the project could give Lively a franchise of her own.

The Rhythm Section actress will take the lead role as well as produce through her B for Effort banner along with Kate Vorhoff. She is also teaming up with Stranger Things' Shawn Levy, who will produce via his 21 Laps banner with partner Dan Cohen.

Rising screenwriter Michael Paisley came up with the story and will now write the screenplay. According to the publication, his idea began to solidify during the coronavirus pandemic as it features a world-altering event and themes such as isolation and strength of family. Once word got out about his idea, producers started asking for virtual meetings, with Lively and Levy subsequently joining forces to take the project to Netflix.

Executives at Levy's 21 Laps banner have been keeping busy and have secured four projects during the lockdown, including a time-travel adventure movie starring Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds.

It will serve as a reunion between Reynolds and his Free Guy director Levy. The action-comedy, in which the Deadpool actor plays a bank teller who discovers he's actually a non-player character (NPC) inside an open-world video game, was originally set for release in July but is now scheduled to hit cinemas in December.