Universal Pictures stepped up and grabbed Matthew M. Ross’ romantic thriller Frank & Lola following the films’ world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. The film marks the feature debut of writer-director and journalist Ross (who also penned the screenplay) and stars Michael Shannon (99 Homes) and rising British actress Imogen Poots (Filth).
The adult drama, which sold to Universal for $2 million, is set in both Las Vegas and Paris and centers on a love story that covers the full circle of emotions: love, obsession, sex, betrayal, revenge and eventually the search for redemption. The eclectic ensemble is rounded out by Justin Long (Going the Distance), Rosanna Arquette (Draft Day), Michael Nyqvist (the original Swedish The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy) and Emmanuelle Devos (The Beat My Heart Skipped). While Universal acquired the title, one of their smaller subsidiaries (likely Focus World) will handle distribution for the film.
The Sundance debuts marks one of two films that featured Shannon at the Park City film festival- the actors also appears in Joshua Marston’s Complete Unknown starring Rachel Weisz (Youth) which sold to Amazon. The prolific former Oscar nominee (Revolutionary Road) is coming off a busy year that included parts in She’s Funny That Way (that also starred Poots), Freeheld, The Night Before and 99 Homes, which earned Shannon Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award nominations. Shannon has another strong year ahead of him appearing in Jeff Nichols’ upcoming Midnight Special, Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals, Elvis & Nixon opposite Kevin Spacey as well as reported appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice reprising his Man of Steel role of General Zod.
No release information for Frank & Lola is known as of yet, but will shall stay tuned.
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