Entertainment One picked up Cosmopolis as a finished film just ahead of
its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film opened soon
after its somewhat disappointing box office debut in Cronenberg’s native
Canada, although the barrage of press in the U.S. surrounding the
film’s main star, Robert Pattinson, and his legion of die-hard fans may
provide the title some reversal of fortune at least initially. Beyond
the hype, it should also play well to Cronenberg’s most ardent fans
noted eOne’s VP theatrical, marketing and distribution Dylan Wiley. “I think this movie is Cronenberg at his most ‘Cronenbergiest,” said Wiley. Pattinson and Cronenberg “have a wide audience and if they catch on, we’ll take it out as wide as it will go.”
Wiley noted that the natural audiences for Pattinson, Cronenberg and
Cosmopolis novelist David DeLillo don’t “share much overlap,” so the
potential appeal is wide. “On the
marketing side, it’s about harnessing the multiple awareness we already
have. Obviously Pattinson has his fan-base and Don LeLillo has his
target audience. Cronenberg has a bit older, smart and affluent
following along with younger males and the hipster crowd.”
Asked
if the recent flurry of Pattinson-centered press that erupted following
revelations of relationship trouble with his Twilight Saga co-star
Kristen Stewart had changed any of their marketing or release plans,
Wiley said no. “To Rob’s credit, he has fulfilled everything he’s been asked to do and more,” said Wiley. “It’s
a testament to him personally and also about what he feels about this
movie and what it means to him and his development as an actor. [For
him] the focus has been only on the movie. He’s been very professional
in keeping the focus on his work for Cosmopolis.” The film’s U.S. release this weekend had already been pre-set months ago. “We’re
doing an accelerated platform release, playing the Landmark in Los
Angeles and the Sunshine and Lincoln Center in New York,” said
Wiley. “Cronenberg will do Q&As at Lincoln Center. We know the
audiences there will be naturally huge for him because of the number of
fans he has in New York, and we expect the film to play there a long
time. Next week, we’ll add 20 markets and then around the 31st, we’ll add more which will bring the film up to about 50 markets.”
Source RP Life
No comments:
Post a Comment