Fans were ecstatic to find that not only would a new Wes Anderson film be screening at the Venice Film Festival in 2023, but it will also star Richard Ayoade.
Only a few weeks after the director’s previous picture, Asteroid City, premiered at Cannes, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar will be showing off its wares without competition.
The adventure comedy film, which will span 39 minutes, is based on author Roald Dahl’s short story collection of the same name, which was released in 1977.
Anderson’s first collaboration with Netflix, and his second Dahl adaption following the success of Fantastic Mr Fox in 2009.
There’s also a great cast, lead by Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role, as well as Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, and Sir Ben Kingsley – but none of this is likely to excite fans.
That would be comedian, writer, director, and actor Richard Ayoade, who is making his debut for the wacky director in an unspecified role.
‘Richard Ayoade in a Wes Anderson film? Give it to me immediately,’ demanded one excited fan, while another commented: ‘Genuinely can’t think of a better fit for Richard Ayoade then Wes Anderson.’
One person declared that Ayoade was ‘born for Wes Anderson’, while another crowed: ‘Benedict, Ralph Fiennes, and Richard Ayoade in the same movie together? By Wes Anderson? Target audience IS ME.’
‘RICHARD AYOADE IN A WES ANDERSON FILM I NEVER THOUGHT ID SEE THE DAYYY [sic],’ was another fan’s delighted post.
‘RICHARD AYOADE? WITH RALPH FIENNES? WES DOING THE MOST ONCE AGAIN,’ shared someone else excitedly, while a separate fan simply asked: ‘Why has it taken this long?’
Anderson claimed in a June interview that he had planned to adapt and direct The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar for the film for 20 years, but that the rights had been sold to Netflix “by the time I was ready to do it.”
‘Suddenly, in essence, there was nowhere else you could do it since they own it. But beyond it, because it’s a 37-minute movie, it was the perfect place to do it because it’s not really a movie,’ he told IndieWire.
The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom director, 54, claimed he’s had “only excellent experiences with Netflix,” but he’s still pro-cinema release versus streaming.
‘I’m very happy to be putting Asteroid City in cinemas. Focus and Universal are doing it the real cinema way. That’s the way I really want my movies to be shown.’
Roman Polanski’s latest picture, The Palace, has been allowed back, while Woody Allen’s French-language Coup de Chance is also screening.
Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, was pushed back from the festival’s opening slot to April 2024 owing to the US actors’ union Sag-Aftra joining the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on strike.
The 80th Venice Film Festival runs from August 30 – September 9.
Source My Celebrity Life.
