by Matt Goldberg Posted: January 10th, 2011
David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Keri Russell, Minnie Driver, and Will Arnett have joined Ty Burrell and Graham Phillips (
Evan Almighty) in Christopher Neil’s indie comedy
Goats. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Mark Jude Poirier (
Smart People). With the exception of Duchovny, this is a very different cast than the one that was attached a year ago, which according to
The Playlist, included Hopper Penn, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin, Jason Schwartzman, and Robert Schwartzman. Here’s the synopsis from the press release:
The coming of age story follows 15 year-old, Ellis (Phillips) as he moves from Wendy, his flakey, new age mother’s (Farmiga) South-Western home to an East Coast prep school where his estranged father Frank (Burrell) was once a star student. For Ellis, this means leaving behind the only real dad he has ever known, Goat Man (Duchovny), his pot-smoking, goat herding mentor, and ultimately needing to evaluate his new prep school lifestyle that’s in stark contrast to his stoner upbringing. Rounding out the cast are Keri Russell as Frank’s new wife, Minnie Driver as Wendy’s best friend and yogic advisor Johanna, and Will Arnett as Wendy’s boyfriend Bennett.
Hit the jump for the full press release. Filming is set to begin in February.
Here’s the press release:
DAVID DUCHOVNY, VERA FARMIGA, KERI RUSSELL, MINNIE DRIVER, AND WILL ARNETT JOIN THE CAST OF THE NEW COMEDY “GOATS”
New York, NY — January 10, 2011 — Red Crown Productions, Elliptical Films, and Sandia Media announced today that David Duchovny, Academy Award nominee-Vera Farmiga, Keri Russell, Academy Award nominee- Minnie Driver and Will Arnett will join the cast of the comedy feature “Goats.” Graham Phillips (“Evan Almighty”) and Ty Burrell were previously announced. The film will mark Christopher Neil’s directorial debut. Red Crown Productions’, Daniela Taplin Lundberg (“The Kids Are All Right”), will produce along with Eric Kopeloff (“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”) and Shannon Lail. Richard Arlook, of the Arlook Group, will executive produce, as will Daniel Crown and Riva Marker for Red Crown Productions. Peter Touche of Sandia Media will partially finance and executive produce as well. Echo Bridge Entertainment will handle international sales and is presenting the film to buyers at the upcoming Berlinale. “Goats” begins filming February 2011.
Producer Daniela Taplin Lundberg commented on the casting, “”Goats” is that wonderful combination of hilarious and poignant, and we’re so thrilled that actors as distinguished as this ensemble have responded to the script with such passion.”
Based on the Mark Jude Poirier (“Smart People”) novel of the same title, the coming of age story follows 15 year-old, Ellis (Phillips) as he moves from Wendy, his flakey, new age mother’s (Farmiga) South-Western home to an East Coast prep school where his estranged father Frank (Burrell) was once a star student. For Ellis, this means leaving behind the only real dad he has ever known, Goat Man (Duchovny), his pot-smoking, goat herding mentor, and ultimately needing to evaluate his new prep school lifestyle that’s in stark contrast to his stoner upbringing. Rounding out the cast are Keri Russell as Frank’s new wife, Minnie Driver as Wendy’s best friend and yogic advisor Johanna, and Will Arnett as Wendy’s boyfriend Bennett.
Nephew of Francis Ford Coppola’s, Chris Neil grew up on his uncle’s sets and later served as dialogue director and acting coach on films such as “Hesher”, “Somewhere” and “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.”
Formed in 2010 by Lundberg and Crown, Red Crown Productions, LLC is a privately financed production company committed to making smart and commercial films in both the independent and studio space. Earlier this year, Red Crown optioned “Tumor,” the highly touted graphic novel, which Samuel Bayer will direct.
by Matt Goldberg Posted: January 10th, 2011
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Jeremy Northam, and Christopher Walken will star in the indie drama
A Late Quartet. Last August, we reported that
Ethan Hawke had joined the project, but it now appears that he has dropped out. The Playlist previously reported that
Hoffman and
Keener were on board. According to the press release, the four actors will play “a world-renowned string quartet struggling to stay together as they mark their 25th anniversary in the face of illness, competing egos and insuppressible lust.” Imogen Poots (
Centurion) and Liraz Charhi (
Fair Game) will also star. Filming is set to begin later this month in New York City. Yaron Zilberman will make his feature film directing debut from his own script.
Hit the jump to check out the press release.
Here’s the press release:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, JANUARY 10, 2011 – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Jeremy Northam and Christopher Walken have joined the cast of A LATE QUARTET, the highly anticipated upcoming indie feature from first-time writer/director Yaron Zilberman. Principal photography is scheduled to begin late January 2011 in New York City.
Hoffman, Keener, Northam and Walken play a world-renowned string quartet struggling to stay together as they mark their 25th anniversary in the face of illness, competing egos and insuppressible lust. Imogen Poots and Liraz Charhi also co-star.
“I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with such incredible actors,” said Zilberman. “I couldn’t imagine a more perfect cast to embody the characters of A LATE QUARTET.”
Based on his original story, Zilberman wrote the script with Seth Grossman, and will be producing along with his producing partner Tamar Sela through their Opening Night Productions banner. Also producing: Vanessa Coifman, David Faigenblum, Emanuel Michael and Mandy Tagger. Executive Producers are Adi Ezroni, Cassandra Kulukundis and RKO Pictures’ Ted Hartley. The film will be produced in association with Concept Entertainment, Spring Pictures and Unison Films.
A LATE QUARTET also features a prestigious production team including director of photography Frederick Elmes (SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK), production designer John Kasarda (Revolutionary Road), costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi (Taking Woodstock) and casting director Cassandra Kulukundis (There Will Be Blood).
The film will be Zilberman’s debut feature after his 2004 Awards Winning documentary Watermarks about an Austrian woman’s swim team in the 1930s.
[The painting above is "
Lazy Sunday Afternoon" by Brandon Bird. I used it because A) It had Walken; and B) Why not]
