EXCLUSIVE: Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), Ty Simpkins (The Whale), Julie Ann Emery (Better Call Saul) and Mel Rodriguez (The Last Man on Earth) have joined the cast of Busted, an indie revenge thriller from director Maria Bissell (How to Deter a Robber), who penned the script with DP Stephen Tringali.
Currently in production, the film sees naive college freshman Wendy (Fisher) get trapped in a vicious blackmail scheme by her own roommate, being forced into a seedy strip club to pay off the debt. But when she uncovers the sick truth behind the setup, the tables turn — hard. Joining forces with the club’s outrageous misfit crew, Wendy launches a daring reverse con to take her tormentor down.
Others in the cast include Michael Rose, Kathleen Wilhoite, Maria Zhang and Ava Allan. Bissell is producing alongside Stephen Tringali and Pamela Price. Co-producers include Tringali, Dario Saliani, and Eric Bochner. Emmy winner Charlene Lee (Netflix’s Beef) and Nina Henninger handled casting.
Best known for her breakout role in Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade, Fisher has since then been seen in Hulu’s Castle Rock, 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Prime Video’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism, HBO’s Barry, Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, and more. She is represented by Innovative Artists.
Known for turns in films like Insidious: The Red Door, The Whale, Iron Man 3, The Re-Education of Molly Singer and Jurassic World, Simpkins is repped by CAA, Canopy Media Partners, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
Seen on shows like Better Call Saul, Five Days at Memorial and Bosch, Emery is also repped by Innovative, along with Rohner Walerstein.
Known for The Last Man on Earth, Netflix’s The Residence and Carol & The End of the World, Rodriguez is repped by Innovative and Abrams Entertainment.
Bissel previously wrote and directed the darkly comedic thriller How to Deter a Robber, starring Vanessa Marano, Chris Mulkey, Jonah Ray, and Gabrielle Carteris, which was released by Shout! Factory following its premiere at Fantastic Fest. She is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
