In a deal said to be worth $11 million, Netflix has landed North American rights to “Velvet Goldmine,” “Carol” and “I’m Not There” director Todd Haynes’ new darkly comedic melodrama “May December”.
Marking the first big sale of this year’s festival, Netflix beat out multiple bidders, including Neon, after the initial domestic deal asking price of $6 million ballooned.
The story centers on a twenty-year romance between a married couple (Julianne Moore, Charles Melton) whose relationship was once tabloid fodder due to not just the twenty-year age gap, but his age when it began.
That relationship buckles under the pressure when an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives at their home in Georgia to do research for a film about their past and the life of Moore’s character whom she is set to play.
Samy Burch penned the screenplay based on a story she wrote with Alex Mechanik. Moore talked about the film at a press conference the other day, saying: “The reason why this movie feels so dangerous watching it is because people don’t know where anyone’s boundaries are. It feels scary.”
Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler produce, and the streamer reportedly hopes to position the film as a major Oscar contender in the fall.
Source: Deadline
