LOS ANGELES, Feb 19: Streaming giant Amazon Studios has acquired North American rights to ace director Woody Allen’s upcoming as-yet-titled feature.
Amazon will open the film this summer with a traditional, nationwide theatrical release, said The Hollywood Reporter.
Amazon took rights that include theatrical and streaming by Amazon Studios.
It is a major upheaval in the specialty film world considering that Sony Pictures Classics has released Allen’s last several films, including “Blue Jasmine”, for which Cate Blanchett won a best actress Oscar, and “Midnight in Paris”, which was a best picture nominee.
Allen’s latest, which was shot last summer on location in New York and Los Angeles, is a romantic comedy staged in the 1930s and stars Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll and Ken Stott.
Following its theatrical run, it will become available exclusively to Prime members through Prime Video.
Amazon Studios head Roy Price said, “Woody Allen is a brilliant filmmaker. We’re so proud to be in business with him for both his next film and his first-ever TV series.”
Amazon already is in business with Allen, who is writing and directing an untitled six-episode TV series for the company that stars himself, Elaine May and Miley Cyrus.
It is set to begin shooting next month. (PTI)
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