"I'm alone. I mean, I’ve always been alone. Ever since my parents..."
PremiseAfter several months of exile, Epsilon returns to the Program for a new mission that will send him to a military training camp filled with soldiers just as deadly as he is. He soon discovers a dangerous threat that lies within the camp... one that killed another Program operative and may be trying to destroy the Program itself.
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Content AdvisoryThe script contains mature content, including strong language, some sexual references, strong violence, and thematic material.
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Gallery of Photos
Teaser Images
Photos from Chapter 1: The Return — Jeff Anderson as Epsilon
Commentary: I designed the opening of I Am Forsaken very specifically. I wanted to remind the audience what had occurred in I Am Nobody without having to say, "previously on..." I also wanted to make it clear that significant time has passed between the two films, and Epsilon's attitude and mentality toward the Program is one of skepticism but ultimately still of submissiveness. He will do what they tell him to do, no matter the circumstances. Of course, the return of Sam in the first pages of the script marks the beginning of a new mental story for our protagonist. While Nobody was about Epsilon struggling to recall and relate to his life before he was a part of the Program, Forsaken is primarily about guilt. Epsilon killed Sam, but he did, in fact, fall in love with her first. I was excited to explore the ways this could affect someone. I was also very excited to introduce Kappa, as a means of slowly, briefly allowing the audience a glimpse into the larger Program.
Photos from Chapter 2: The Failed Mission — Nicholas Pitcher as Father
Commentary: I Am Nobody was, in a way, about the relationship between Mother and Epsilon, how it developed, and how it has changed over the course of the three years Epsilon has spent serving the Program. Though Father is present in the first film, he primarily interacts with Mother, not Epsilon. In an effort to provide some balance to Epsilon's exposure to the Program, I thought that focusing on Father, and only Father, in I Am Forsaken would work wonders. Mother is accordingly absent from this film, but still present in the back of everyone's mind. In the accompanying photos, Father wears a plain, black signet ring, a nod to the notion that he is a part of a larger whole that wishes to remain anonymous. (This chapter also makes clear the reason Epsilon is holding a pen in his photos accompanying Chapter 1; one can expect almost every character to be holding or wearing a prop that is important to that character in their photos). This chapter delves into some of the lore of the Program, so to speak. We learn about other operatives and other missions, and we see Father fully briefing Epsilon on an assignment, something that was unfortunately glossed over in the first film. One of the biggest moments for me was the true reveal of Sam: she is meant to be a ghost, a mental manifestation of Epsilon's guilt. She's sarcastic, funny, and irritating, and I think that she becomes sort of relatable now that we know her purpose. She feels slighted because she was killed before she learned Epsilon's given name, but Epsilon himself can't remember (and indeed, the only time it is ever said in the first film is by Mike, immediately after Epsilon kills Sam, to which Epsilon' replies only with a confused face). Sam will have frequent appearances in the script, which I believe is critical to understanding Epsilon's emotional arc in the film.
Photos from Chapter 3: Heroes and Villains — KJ as Moore
Commentary: I knew it was imperative to get into the meat of the story before too much time had passed. Chapter 3 introduces us to Moore and Lee, and hints at a few other characters that will be expanded upon in the near future. Moore is our pathway into Zenith: he embodies the principles of the camp. He's irrational, swift, and unforgiving. Of course, he's also unyielding. He provides a unique challenge to Epsilon as someone who is constantly concerned with his own safety and well-being. Lee, on the other hand, demonstrates a mild disdain for his father, something we learn in our first conversation with him. Lee is a complex character, and it's really interesting to explore him in future chapters.
Photos from Chapter 4: Capture the Flag — Devon Stanley as Francis
Commentary: Developing Francis in the script was an interesting task. You have to sympathize with him without liking him. Ideally, as you read about him and what he does in the camp, you can understand his plight. At the same time, he's sort of a jerk. He's abrupt and a bit rude. Francis is, above all, a really interesting character and he's got a great arc in future chapters. The capture the flag bit was a neat way to introduce the audience to the VR system that Zenith uses and incorporate another action sequence relatively early on. From here on, we're a very character driven film, and I think the next chapter especially demonstrates that.
Photos from Chapter 5: Dawn on Zenith — Nicki Moody as Miranda
Commentary: I knew the general outline of the plot for I Am Forsaken before we had even started filming I Am Nobody. About two months before we began shooting, I met with Nicki to discuss this particular role. The mischievous but incredibly intelligent and composed Miranda needed an actress with a fantastic ability to adapt and an amazing emotional range. Indeed, in the one scene we did film for I Am Forsaken, Nicki demonstrated all of that and more. It was a joy to work with her on set and for these photos. At this point, we're set firmly in the Forsaken story. Epsilon is on his own: there is no Program out there to save him if something goes wrong. This time around, though, he's not looking for a means of escaping as he was with Sam. It's a confusing and formative time for Epsilon, and as the story progresses (and as his relationships with Miranda, Lee, Moore and Francis all grow), Epsilon, too, grows as a person.
Photos from Chapter 6: The Bombers — Ryan Anastasi as Lee
Commentary: Lee would have been perhaps the most challenging character to play in this film, because every person he talks to requires him to use a different mask. There's a fine line between inconsistency in acting and perfection when it comes to a character like Lee, and Ryan was able to capture the vastly different personalities Lee has throughout the entire script in a couple of photos. This chapter is primarily Lee's opportunity to show off: he wants to prove himself resourceful to Daniel Martin, stand up to his Father, and demonstrate some sort of authority over Francis. It's also clear at this point that Lee's watch is far more important than its apparent usefulness as a time-telling device. We'll get a thorough explanation of that next week from Miranda.
Photos from Chapter 7: Alone — Ellie Ward as Sam
Commentary: Sam wasn't originally meant to come back in part two, but Ellie's performance in I Am Nobody made it an easy choice. I was always fascinated with the idea that Epsilon would continue to feel guilty for killing her even months after the events of the first film. Much like The Joker in Batman: Arkham Knight, her presence is minimal but crucial to Epsilon's arc. He yearns, more than anything else, to learn his real name, but refuses to admit it. Sam is his mind's way of making it happen. In this chapter, she drives him to a new level, bringing Howard back into the story in a fitting way. From here on, the story is full of new information and exciting exposition, and Sam continues to taunt Epsilon, ever driving him closer to a mental breakdown.
Photos from Chapter 8: The Dead Soldier — Greg Servaes as Howard
Commentary: Howard's back, and accordingly the details behind the Program are beginning to unfold. The big reveal, of course, is that Delta is still alive and well (for a short time). It would have been a great scene to shoot, and it's in many ways the beginning of the end of Epsilon. We'll learn more about the neurosuppressor chip in the next chapter.
Photos from Chapter 9: Dusk on Zenith — John Prud'homme as Noah
Commentary: Noah was a character I created for this script, and though I knew from the beginning that he wouldn't have a huge role, I think that he contrasts Lee in a great way. He's ambitious and outgoing, while Lee is afraid and focuses only on living up to his father's expectations. This chapter is the calm before the storm, the lead up to a climax that hopefully ups the ante from I Am Nobody.
Photos from Chapter 10: Legacy — Iba Camara as Kappa
Commentary: This is it, the end of the road for many a character. The Zenith story is finally behind Epsilon and the next and final chapter is more of a lead in to what we hope to be a fantastic finale to the trilogy. The return of Kappa (and his portrayal by Iba Camara) marks a huge shift: we're focusing on the Program again. And it's time to see the kind of people they all are.
Photos from Chapter 11: Suppression — PJ Butler as Mike
Commentary: It was a pleasure, as always, to work with PJ Butler as he portrayed Mike. As I said before, Chapter 8 marks the beginning of the end of Epsilon. Now the end has arrived. It's all about the Program now, and Mike's villainy only expands from here, as we move into the final film of the trilogy.
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