Senator Fred Thompson from Persecuted

The lawmaker that took on Hollywood by becoming part of its film making. From the I Heart Radio Studio I'm Unplugged and Totally Uncut with Senator Fred Thompson "Persecuted is a wonderful House of Cards-type political thriller that imagines what would happen if the country's most famous religious leader refused to go along with the politicians in Washington and the mayhem that ensues." - Fred Thompson ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., - One Media LLC announces Millennium Entertainment will release the political thriller PERSECUTED nationally on July 18, 2014. Advance screening events have already begun a word of mouth buzz for the film which been called a "timely thriller" by FOX News and a "House of Cards for the religious set" by Politico. The Hollywood Reporter noted the film's "ripped from the headlines" plot and pairs a veteran of Washington and Hollywood, actor and former presidential candidate Fred Thompson with an all-star cast of Hollywood's finest, including Dean Stockwell, James Remar and Bruce Davison. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Millennium Entertainment to distribute Persecuted to a wide audience," said writer, director and producer Daniel Lusko. "We're seeing this film create a stir months ahead of release which portends for a great opening." PERSECUTED tells the story of a modern-day evangelist named John Luther, played by SAG Award-nominated and Saturn Award winning actor James Remar (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, "Dexter", DJANGO: UNCHAINED, WHAT LIES BENEATH, RED). Luther is the last hold out for a national endorsement to make sweeping reform in freedom of speech that would compel religious leaders to provide equal time to those of other faiths as a U.S. Senator, portrayed by Oscar-nominated actor Bruce Davison (X-MEN, "Lost", "Castle"), and his political allies create a sinister plan of denial and scandal to frame John Luther for murder. Suddenly his once normal life is turned upside down as he becomes a fugitive vowing to expose those responsible. It is a mission that brings him face-to-face with the coming storm of persecution that will threaten the moral ethics and freedoms of America. Producing with Lusko is Oscar-winning producer Gray Frederickson (THE GODFATHER, APOCALYPSE NOW), along with Line Producer Brent Morris (MONSTER, FRANK, and UNKNOWN.) The PERSECUTED cast includes Dean Stockwell (AIR FORCE ONE, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, STAR TREK), Fred Thompson ("Law & Order", DIE HARD 2, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER), Brad Stine (recognized as "God's Comic" by The New Yorker, social commentator on Fox & Friends, MARRIAGE RETREAT) Raoul Trujillo (APOCOLYPTO, COWBOYS AND ALIENS, THE NEW WORLD), Natalie Grant (five-time Dove Award-winning singer and songwriter) and Gretchen Carlson (Fox News Channel). The film is a SAG-AFTRA production of an original political drama by Lusko. The film wrapped principle photography on August 6, 2013 and was shot in and around the Albuquerque, New Mexico area.