Netflix in Talks to Buy Radha Blank’s ‘The 40-Year-Old Version’
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Netflix is in negotiations to buy the worldwide rights to Radha Blank’s semi-autobiographical comedy “The 40-Year-Old Version,” sources have confirmed.
Blank directed, wrote, produced and stars in “The 40-Year-Old Version,” which premiered on Jan. 25 at the Sundance Film Festival. Peter Y. Kim, Oswin Benjamin, Reed Birney, Imani Lewis, TJ Atoms and Jacob Ming-Trent also star.
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Blank portrays a down-on-her-luck New York playwright who decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice the only way she knows how — by becoming a rapper at age 40. This film follow its protagonist as she vacillates between the worlds of New York’s theater and hip-hop.
The film was shot on 35mm black and white film by cinematographer Eric Branco. “The 40-Year-Old Version” was selected for development at Sundance’s 2017 Screenwriters and Directors labs.
Besides Blank, producers include Lena Waithe, Jordan Fudge, Inuka Bacote-Capiga, Jennifer Semler and Rishi Rajani. Endeavor Content is handling sales.
Variety critic Peter Debruge said in his review, “Blank’s first feature is an earnest, honest, often hilarious testimonial from a gifted writer (the Off Broadway play ‘Seed’ earned her a shot at working with Spike Lee) about what it means for someone in her position to reinvent.”
Blank has been a writer and producer on “She’s Gotta Have It” and a writer on “Empire.” The film’s title closely resembles the 2005 Steve Carell comedy “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” The news about the talks was first reported by Deadline Hollywood. Netflix and Endeavor Content had no comment.
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