In today’s film news roundup, Molly Shannon’s “Wild Nights with Emily” and Motke Dapp’s “Other Versions of You” get distribution, Robert Patrick is up for a role as an FBI agent and “Nutcracker” writer Ashleigh Powell signs with CAA.
ACQUISITIONS
Greenwich Entertainment has bought “Wild Nights with Emily,’ a dramatic comedy about Emily Dickinson starring Molly Shannon.
The film, which had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, was written and directed by Madeleine Olnek. Greenwich will release the film theatrically early next year.
Shannon’s role captures the vivacious, irreverent side of the poet that was covered up for years — most notably Emily’s lifelong romantic relationship with another woman, using Dickinson’s own words.
“Madeleine’s witty, madcap yet poignant and absolutely necessary version of Emily’s life is an Emily we’ve never seen before, but one that has been hiding in plain sight all along,” said Ed Arentz from Greenwich Entertainment. “’Wild Nights with Emily’ will delight the poet’s legion of fans, satisfy serious scholars and addresses our particular moment in a very telling way.”
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The film co-stars Amy Seimetz, Susan Ziegler and Brett Gelman and was produced by Casper Andreas, Max Rifkind-Barron, Anna Margarita Albelo, and Madeleine Olnek. Cinetic Media’s Eric Sloss, on behalf of the filmmaker, negotiated the deal with Greenwich’s Arentz.
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North of Two has acquired the global distribution rights to Motke Dapp’s “Other Versions of You,” starring Kristopher Wente, Brittany Belland, Sara Antonio, and WWE Superstar CJ (Lana) Perry, Variety has learned exclusively.
Alan Powell and Eddie George also star in the film produced by Ryan Hartsock, David Perry, and Dapp. “Other Versions of You” was adapted by Dapp, based on his novel of the same name.
The romance is about a man who, after the girl he loves gets married, explores parallel universes to find another version of her who will love him back. “Other Versions of You” will be released theatrically in 2019.
North of Two recently acquired Angela Shelton’s “Heart, Baby” and will release Michael Polish’s “Nona” and Ted Welch’s ”Wild Man.”
CASTING
Robert Patrick is in talks to join Liam Neeson and Kate Walsh in the action thriller “Honest Thief.”
Patrick will be playing an FBI agent alongside Jai Courtney and Anthony Ramos. “Honest Thief” has started shooting in Massachusetts and is directed by Mark Williams. Producers are Williams, Myles Nestel, Tai Duncan, and Craig Chapman.
Williams, co-creator of the Netflix series “Ozark,” is directing from a script by Steve Allrich. Neeson will portray a bank robber who tries to turn himself in because he’s falling in love with a woman — played by Walsh — who works at a storage facility where he’s stashed his loot. Complications ensue when his case is turned over to a corrupt FBI agent.
Nestel’s Solution Entertainment Group is fully financing. The news about Patrick was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
CAA SIGNING
CAA has signed screenwriter Ashleigh Powell, who wrote Disney’s “Nutcracker and the Four Realms.”
Powell has been announced as one of Variety’s Screenwriters to Watch. She recently adapted “The Hazel Wood” from Melissa Albert’s young-adult fantasy novel for Red Wagon at Columbia Pictures.
Powell continues to be represented by Good Fear and Feig Law.