Emily joins “Murder Mystery”

THR is reporting that Colin Firth, Adam Sandler and Emily joined “Murder Mystery” with Charlize Theron already attached.

Oscar winner Colin Firth, comedy champ Adam Sandler and Looper star Emily Blunt are set to join Charlize Theron in Murder Mystery, a comedy whodunit from director John Madden, the British helmer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Shakespeare in Love.

The plot of the Murder Mystery, from a script by White House Down writer James Vanderbilt, has a pair of American newlyweds visiting Europe on their honeymoon who get implicated in a murder they witnessed.

Endgame Entertainment and Tower Hill are behind the project, which had originally been set up at Disney and which Tower Hill picked up in turnaround. Kevin McDonald had initially been attached as director.

Theron will also produce Murder Mystery via her Denver and Delilah Productions shingle, joining Endgame’s James D. Stern and Tower Hill’s William Shively together with Tripp Vinson, Beau Flynn and Vanderbilt.

German state subsidy body NRW Filmstifftung has put up just over $1 million (€800,000) in production financing for Murder Mystery. Cologne-based production house Action Concept has come on board as a co-producer and the film will shoot an expected 25 days in the NRW region in Western Germany.

Egoli Tossell Film New and Belgium group uMedia are also credited co-producers. uMedia’s sales arm uFilm is handling world sales on the project and will be offering the film to buyer in Cannes.