Todd Haynes’ ‘Wonderstruck’ Scores Awards-Season Release From Roadside, Amazon (EXCLUSIVE)
Roadside Attractions is partnering with Amazon Studios on Todd Haynes’ “Wonderstruck,” Variety has learned.
The film will premiere this month at the Cannes Film Festival, where it will compete for the Palme d’Or. It will open in the U.S. in limited release on Oct. 20 and will go into wide release at some point in mid-November. The studios are giving the film an awards push and believe it could be an Oscar contender.
It certainly has some impressive pedigree. “Wonderstruck” reunites Haynes with Julianne Moore; the two previously collaborated to acclaim on “Safe” and “Far From Heaven.” It co-stars Oscar-nominee Michelle Williams, along with Amy Hargreaves (“Homeland”), Oakes Fegley (“Pete’s Dragon”), and newcomer Millicent Simmonds.
“Wonderstruck” is adapted from a novel of the same name by Brian Selznick. It unfolds in two different time periods, with one storyline taking place in 1927 and the other set in 1977. In the earlier time frame, Rose (Simmonds) escapes her home in New Jersey to catch a glimpse of her idol Lillian Mayhew (Moore). In the other, Ben (Fegley), runs away to New York to find his long-lost father after his mother dies.
Haynes’ previous film, “Carol,” premiered at Cannes in 2015 and went on to score six Academy Award nominations. His other work include HBO’s “Mildred Pierce” and the unorthodox Bob Dylan biopic, “I’m Not There.”
“Wonderstruck” marks the sixth film that Roadside has distributed on behalf of Amazon Studios. Last fall, the pair worked on “Manchester by the Sea,” which won two Oscars, including a best actor statue for Casey Affleck. It went on to gross $47.7 million, making it the biggest box office hit in the history of both companies. Roadside has also released Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship” and Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq” for Amazon.
It will handle distribution for Doug Liman’s “The Wall” and Marc Webb’s “The Only Living Boy in New York,” both of which Amazon financed.
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