Film News Roundup: Olivia Wilde to Direct Holiday Comedy for Universal

In today’s film news roundup, Olivia Wilde has landed another directing gig following “Booksmart” and revenge thriller “Seaside” and “Woodstock: The Directors Cut” get August release dates.

PROJECT LAUNCH

Olivia Wilde will direct and produce an untitled holiday comedy project for Universal Pictures with her “Booksmart” partner Katie Silberman.

Universal outbid five other studios for the duo’s pitch. Silberman will write the screenplay and also produce.

Wilde directed “Booksmart” in her helming debut from a script by Silberman and three other writers. The coming-of-age comedy has grossed $22 million domestically since its May 24 release by United Artists and has a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Wilde is currently in production on Clint Eastwood’s “The Ballad of Richard Jewell.” Silberman’s past projects include “Set It Up,” “Isn’t it Romantic” and the upcoming “Most Dangerous Game.” Universal’s Sara Scott and Lexi Barta will oversee development of the project.

Wilde is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Silberman is represented by MXN Entertainment and Maymar Greenspan. The news was first reported by Deadline.

RELEASE DATES

Gravitas Ventures has acquired Sam Zalutsky’s revenge thriller “Seaside” for a digital release on Aug. 20.

The movie is Zalutsky’s second feature film following his psychological horror movie “You Belong to Me.” Tony nominee Ariana DeBose makes her feature film debut in “Seaside.” An original cast member in Broadway’s “Hamilton,” DeBose will be seen next as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake.

Also featured in the film are Broadway stars Matt Shingledecker, Steffanie Leigh and Sharon Washington. The film is set on the Oregon coast, where DeBose’s character moves in with her boyfriend when he inherits his childhood beach house. The two decide to start a family and a new life but she then realizes that he hasn’t been completely honest about his romantic past.

The film is produced by Zalutsky, Alyssa Roehrenbeck and Kevin Corstange. Executive producer is Paul Sahai.

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Fathom Events is partnering with Warner Bros. for the documentary “Woodstock: The Director’s Cut” for an Aug. 15 showing on the 50th anniversary of the music festival.

“Both as a documentary and as a pop-culture phenomenon, ‘Woodstock’ is a milestone, a pivotal moment in history captured forever, proving the enduring power of cinema,” said Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. “Fifty years later, there has never been anything quite like it, either as a music festival or as a film, and Fathom Events is proud to be part of the anniversary of ‘Woodstock.’”

Directed by Michael Wadleigh, “Woodstock” received an Academy Award for Best Documentary and was nominated for Best Editing for Thelma Schoonmaker, a longtime collaborator of Martin Scorsese. The movie features 30 musical performances, including Jimi Hendrix; The Who; Janis Joplin; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Jefferson Airplane; and Joan Baez.

The 3-hour, 44-minute director’s cut features performances, such as those by Joplin and Jefferson Airplane, not seen in the original theatrical version, which was a box-office smash when first released in 1970. The Fathom Events presentation is the first wide, national theatrical re-release of the film since its original run.

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