Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Worldwide Rights To ‘Oh, Hi!' Starring Logan Lerman And Molly Gordon
Oh, Hi! is produced by David Brooks, Dan Clifton, Julie Waters, Sophie Brooks, and Molly Gordon. Evan Dyal, Justin Brown, and Evan Moore are executive producers alongside Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Molly Quinn, Matthew M. Welty, and Elan Gale.
More from Deadline
'The Bear' Star Molly Gordon Signs With WME
Logan Lerman Signs With UTA
Utah's Hopes Of Keeping Sundance Threatened By Anti-Pride Flag Bill On Governor's Desk
In Oh, Hi!, Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac's (Logan Lerman) first romantic weekend getaway as a couple goes awry. Convinced that he's just confused, Iris goes to extreme lengths to prove to him that they are meant to be together.
'I couldn't be more thrilled that we have found our home with Sony Pictures Classics. For as long as I can remember, I've loved their films,' Brooks said. 'Always marked by distinct voices and elegance. I can't wait for audiences to see our kooky film in theaters.'
Sony Pictures Classics describes the film as 'That unpredictable, dark romantic comedy – youthful and hilarious yet with just the right about of danger.' With 'fantastic' performances 'brilliantly directed' by Brooks. The studio also calls it 'a definite audience winner.
RELATED:
Sophie Brooks is a London-born, Brooklyn-based writer and director. The Boy Downstairs was acquired by Film Rise and HBO at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was produced by David Brooks, Paul Brooks and Dan Clifton and stars Zosia Mamet, Matthew Shear and Diana Irvine.
The deal was negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics and WME Independent and UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Watermark Media financed the feature, in association with QWGmire, AmorFortuna, and Bespoke Production Capital.
Best of Deadline
Everything We Know About 'Freakier Friday' So Far
Everything We Know About 'Ted Lasso' Season 4 So Far
How Horror Is Finding Its Place In Awards Season & What's New For 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
- Boston Globe
With ‘Highest 2 Lowest,' Spike Lee updates a neo-noir classic
The respect Lee has for the legendary Japanese director is evident in the ways he reimagines the classic scenes from 'High and Low.' Additionally, like Lee's movies, Kurosawa's films often interrogated the gulf between the haves and have-nots, treating the latter with grace and understanding. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Lee's tough yet undying love for the Big Apple puts him in the esteemed company of the greatest gritty New York City directors, Advertisement The opening credits are an awesome aerial depiction of Manhattan's east side, with the Brooklyn Bridge prominently featured as a majestic entry point (or a divine exit strategy, depending on your perspective). Lee underscores this sequence with an unexpected choice on the soundtrack, 'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',' the opening song from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, 'Oklahoma.' Advertisement The song's first lyric indicates that we're going to get a more playful Lee than usual — the guy who enjoys ribbing people about everything. This movie is full of in-jokes and clever asides. 'There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,' sings ' But the song reminds us that 'Oklahoma' is also another tale of the haves and have-nots. Even the view itself raises questions. Whose eyes are we looking through? A rich man who sees the city as conquest, or a poor man who sees it as unattainable without criminal means? Denzel Washington in 'Highest 2 Lowest.' David Lee/Apple Lee provides an initial, but not final, answer. Libatique's camera finds record mogul, David King (Washington), standing on his Brooklyn high-rise patio. 'It's a beautiful morning,' he says to no one in particular as he briefly surveys the landscape. King is the head of the Stackin' Hits record label, a man rumored to have the best ears in the business when it comes to choosing talent. He's a more benevolent version of Terrence Howard's Lucious Lyon from the old Fox TV show, 'Empire,' older and wiser than that memorable hothead, but presumably from the same streets. In other words, a former have-not. Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright) is King's chauffeur and unofficial right-hand man. He's the kind of ride or die you earn in the streets, a man whose intimidating stature hides a gentler nature. Christopher is a practicing Muslim, a detail that makes sense if you know the origins of the character. In Kurosawa's film, he is a very penitent man, expressing regret and deference to his boss. 'Highest 2 Lowest' changes the recipient of Christopher's penitence to a much higher power. Advertisement Christopher's kid, Kyle (Elijah Wright — Jeffrey's son) is besties with King's son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph). They're inseparable teenagers, attending a basketball camp run by former Boston Celtic Rick Fox, playing himself. King teases Trey about his love for the residents of TD Garden, snatching the green headband from his son's head and threatening to disown him for dissing the Knicks. It's the first of many amusing swipes the world's most famous New York Knicks fan will take at Boston teams. Screenwriter Alan Fox seamlessly updates the material in ways that will please fans of 'High and Low.' He also keeps the basic plot intact: A wealthy executive (played in the original by That is, until he realizes that his son isn't the one being held for ransom. Through a case of mistaken identity, the kidnapper swiped his chauffeur's son. As in 'High and Low,' King is convinced to pay the ransom by his wife, Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera). That film's somewhat useless cops are also transferred to this plot; here, they're led by LaChanze and Dean Winters. Winters brings as much mayhem to the proceedings as he does in those Allstate ads. Advertisement A$AP Rocky in 'Highest 2 Lowest.' David Lee/Apple The kidnapper, Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky), forces King to deliver the money on a 4 train barreling up to Yankees Stadium. This gives Lee the chance to stage the original's train money drop. Editors Barry Alexander Brown (a Lee regular) and Allyson C. Johnson craft a virtuoso multi-vehicle action sequence that involves motorcycles, rowdy Yankees fans chanting obscenities about Boston, and an enormous group of people at a Puerto Rican Day parade. The hectic, exciting scene includes a performance by the famous salsa bandleader, Eddie Palmieri, whose death last week at 88 adds an extra layer of poignancy to his appearance. 'Highest 2 Lowest' gives Washington another meaty role to sink his teeth into, and Lee allows him free reign to bring all his Denzel-isms. Scenes with Rocky are framed with the two on opposite sides of the screen, a visual reminder of the divide between the two characters. Plus, if you ever wanted to see Denzel in a rap battle, this movie has you covered. Wright is just as good as Washington. He brings a quiet desperation to Paul, made more powerful by the way he anchors it to his faith. I wish he had more scenes, but what's here is commendable. The actors have a rapport that makes you believe in their bond. If there's a weak link, albeit a minor one, it's Rocky. He's fine, but his character is underwritten. This was also the case in 'High and Low,' but it's a bigger issue here because Lee ups the importance of the character's motivations. By rooting them in the world of rap, the film becomes a pointed commentary on the way impoverished Black and brown people see music as one of the few paths to prosperity. I longed for a deeper dive into these ideas. Advertisement Rocky does get a catchy number to perform, which will satisfy his fans. There's also a spectacular, Oscar-worthy theme song sung onscreen by Aiyana-Lee that proves, yet again, that all Spike Lee movies are musicals under the skin. This is one of the year's best films. It's also one of Lee's finest joints. ★★★★ HIGHEST 2 LOWEST Directed by Spike Lee. Written by Alan Fox. Based on Akira Kurosawa's film, 'High and Low' and Ed McBain's novel, 'King's Ransom.' Starring Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, LaChanze, Dean Winters, Aubrey Joseph, Elijah Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Rick Fox. At Coolidge Corner, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport. 133 min. R (salty language, pervasive love of the New York Yankees — whoo hoo!) Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ayo Edebiri Says Directing ‘The Bear' Was Like ‘Making a Venn Diagram Out of a Thousand Circles'
[Editor's note: This article was originally published in December 2024, and has been updated to reflect the episode earning Edebiri an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.] When Ayo Edebiri found out she would be directing an episode of 'The Bear,' she recalls showrunner Christopher Storer telling her: 'You really get to play here, so feel free to do that.' More from IndieWire Spike Lee's 'Highest 2 Lowest' Reinvents Kurosawa in the Canyons and Subways of New York The Early Aughts Are Back, Baby: 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' and 'Freakier Friday' Writers on Why Nostalgia Is Fueling Hollywood Her first stop was the Directors Guild of America, where she enrolled herself in a class for first-time television directors led by Paris Barclay, Keith Powell, and Dr. Valerie Weiss ('Three legends incredibly giving and helpful,' Edebiri told IndieWire). In a group that included writers, actors, producers, and editors, the class was walked through each step of production and what might come up along the way. How do the actors respond to direction? How does the editor respond to notes? How will the showrunner handle all of it? 'That class is probably one of the coolest, greatest things I've ever done,' Edebiri said. 'The thing that I walked away with the most was that the only wrong way to direct — well, there's probably a lot of wrong ways, but beyond not communicating and not being open — is not finding your way. If you try to do somebody else's way, or work somebody else's way, it's not going to work. Our instructors were so helpful with really illustrating their differences — and that they were successful with their differences — and so encouraging us to find our our ways of communicating, stressing the fact that you always have to be communicating.' Directing Season 3, Episode 6, 'Napkins' got Edebiri communicating more than ever. Her first meeting was with cinematographer Andrew Wehde, to talk about how their episode would fit in with the show's existing visual palette, with Edebiri functioning as 'a guest in somebody else's house, basically.' She spent more time with production designer Merje Veski than she ever did as an actor, and worked closely with location manager Maria C. Roxas. The episode focuses on Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), and the sudden firing which leads her to job hunt all over Chicago and end up at The Bear — a clear before and after in her life. Edebiri and Veski got as detailed as the contents of Tina's fridge, placement of everything in it, and why it would be there in the first place. 'Tina's fridge now at this moment in her life, versus when she's a few years later in her career, and how she's thinking of the kitchen and how she's thinking of food…' Edebiri said. 'Food is still a part of her life, and it's a part of so many of ours. As a mom, when she does meal prep, that's really different from how she's thinking about food in our present at The Bear, but it's still a part of her daily life.' For the first piece of the episode, Edebiri and Wehde opted for as much static camera as possible, 'trying to maintain a really controlled and tight feeling' before Tina loses her job and the handheld camera depicts how unstable she feels. Edebiri wanted Chicago to suddenly 'feel like a different world… juxtaposing how small [Colón-Zayas] is with how small Tina feels.' 'When we finally, at the end of the episode, get back to The Bear, we really wanted it to feel like an early Season 1 episode, using those strong and intentional zooms, swings of the lenses, and embracing the chaos and the noise and having every shot feel really full of information,' Edebiri explained. Then she took a big swing, asking Colón-Zayas and guest star Jon Bernthal to stay fairly still during their conversation that forms the third-act setpiece. The camera follows Tina from the restaurant counter through to the seating area, where it gently reveals her future coworkers Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Neil (Matty Matheson), and Mikey (Bernthal). After Tina starts to cry, Mikey comes over to strike up a conversation. 'In the initial scripting of it, there was a bit more movement with the two of them… with the napkins and with everything that he was doing,' Edebiri said. 'As an actor— I relate to this too — you always want to have a bit of business! You always want to kind of be doing something, just for texture. I was like, 'Please, please, trust me. The less that you do, the more that it will hit.'' She credits her actors for being 'game and ready and giving and trusting' to yield the final result. Close to a year after filming the episode (Edebiri remembers it was close to St. Patrick's Day due to the chocolate factory location's limited selection of seasonal snacks), Edebiri reflected on 'just how much goes into everything, into every moment, and how many people are so good at their jobs.' No one is God, she noted, but there's a specific cocktail of confidence and collaboration revealed to the person in the director's chair. 'You have to have a certain amount of ego and a certain amount of assuredness in your decisions, but there needs to be space for collaboration, and to also be wrong, or to not have the answer, and to really be able to let someone else have the knowledge and the awareness,' she said. 'It's this really miraculous amount of collaboration with everybody, everybody having a reason for their question or for their thought, because of their vantage point and where they're at.' Edebiri didn't go into 'Napkins' thinking any of it was easy, but she's more in awe than ever at the intricacy of making TV. 'It's like making a Venn diagram, but out of a thousand circles. That's why those moments when you get something, or you get it right, it does feel so special — because it's like, that's insane. That's insane that there's a thousand circles but found the one overlapping point.' 'The Bear' Season 3 is streaming on Hulu. Best of IndieWire 2023 Emmy Predictions: Who Will Win at the Primetime Emmy Awards? 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alan Tudyk Says He Was Removed From ‘I, Robot's Press Materials After Testing Higher Than Will Smith In Early Screenings: 'I Was Very Upset'
Alan Tudyk reflected on his career and revealed that there's a reason why not many people know he played Sonny in the 2004 sci-fi action film I, Robot. During an appearance on Toon'd In with Jimmy Cummings, Tudyk said that with test screening audiences, he tested higher than the film's star Will Smith. More from Deadline Michael Bay & Will Smith Part Company On Netflix Action Film 'Fast And Loose' Emmy-Nominated 'Slow Horses' Writer/EP Will Smith To Exit Show After Season 5; Reveals Emotional Farewell And His Dream Spin-Off 'Resident Alien' Canceled After 4 Seasons 'They were doing test audiences with the movie and they score the characters and I got word back, 'Alan, you're testing higher than Will Smith,'' Tudyk recalled on the podcast from June 15. 'And then I was gone. I was gone. There was no publicity and my name was not mentioned.' He continued, 'I was so shocked, I was like, 'But wait, nobody's going to know that I [play the robot].'' Tudyk voiced Sonny the robot and was motion-captured for the CGI character, saying that he 'put a lot into' his performance, adding, 'At the time, I was very upset.' Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot is set in Chicago 2035 as robots fill public service positions around the world. Will Smith plays Detective Del Spooner as he investigates the death of the U.S. Robotics founder, who believes that Sonny the robot murdered him. The film also stars Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Shia LaBeouf, Fiona Hogan, Terry Chen, Adrian L. Ricard, Jerry Wasserman, Peter Shinkoda, Emily Tennant, and David Haysom. I, Robot was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Visual Effects, which it ultimately lost to the Sam Raimi-directed superhero action film, Spider-Man 2. Watch Tudyk's interview below. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media 'The Boys' Season 5: Everything We Know So Far
