Just ahead of the premiere of Gravitas Ventures’ newest release Marcus, we have an exclusive clip from the film we are happy to premiere. In the movie, Owen Miller plays a man who must face his mental health struggles in order to find true happiness. You can get a sneak peek at the feature film by watching our clip below, showcasing a scene with Miller’s character detailing how these problems drastically affected his life.
“All because I tried to get some help,” Miller’s Marcus laments in the clip. “You ever wonder why more people don’t seek help? Why so many people just end it? That’s because it’s harder than calling an 800 number. It takes a hell of a lot more than that. I determined I would never try to get help again. I find distractions to be more helpful.”
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Marcus is written and directed by J.R. Poli and is based on the award-winning short film of the same name. The feature film adaptation stars Owen Miller, Katana Malone, Todd Bruno, Jennifer Lynn Sharp, and Paul “Big Show” Wight. Poli and Miller produced with Jose Luis Martinez. You can read the official synopsis for Marcus below.
Marcus has a checkered past and an unstable present. As he struggles mightily with a mental illness, unexpected news brings a new opportunity for him to right old wrongs and make amends. With the hopes of reconciling with his estranged daughter, Marcus leaves his life behind and sets off on an adventure to find purpose, forgiveness and redemption. But Marcus will have to face the consequences of his past life and overcome the greatest obstacle of all in order to find happiness: Himself.
Paul Wight Was Intrigued by the Mental Health Aspects of Marcus
Gravitas Ventures
One of the main cast members of Marcus, Paul Wight, is best known for his professional wrestling career. He previously spent many years performing as Big Show in WWE and can currently be seen on AEW programming. But he has been appearing in movies since the 1990s and is featured in a key role in Marcus. We recently spoke with Wight about the film and the wrestling superstar explained how the story appealed to him because of its exploration of mental health.
“One of the messages that interested me about the script was mental health awareness," Wight told us. “A lot of it is with the journey of Marcus, and what’s interesting about my character Gus is that out of all the acquaintances that Marcus has, he’s one of the few people in his life that knows there’s something wrong yet doesn’t know how to approach it. There are a lot of things done to show support for Marcus but at the same time, he doesn’t understand what he’s going through.”
Wight added, “I think that’s a bit of a heads-up message for a lot of people that are learning to understand friends or family that are having mental health issues, how to talk to them, and sometimes even just how to listen and be there. Sometimes it’s not about fixing it, it’s about believing it is a problem and being supportive, and letting someone know you’re there for them. So, I like the interaction that my character has with Owens’ character. He knew something was wrong but asked how to approach it and how to show support.”
Marcus is set to be released in theaters and on digital on July 15, 2022. You can watch the official trailer below, courtesy of Gravitas Ventures on YouTube.
