Amazon Studios announced today that Dave Franco will direct the upcoming Amazon Original film Somebody I Used to Know from a script he wrote alongside Alison Brie. Brie will also star in the Temple Hill Entertainment and Black Bear Pictures-produced romantic comedy alongside Jay Ellis and Kiersey Clemons. Producers include Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, and Isaac Klausner, and Black Bear’s Ben Stillman, Leigh Kittay, and Michael Heimler. Executive producers include Franco, Brie, Temple Hill’s Laura Quicksilver, Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman, and Bart Lipton. The film will debut exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide next year.
Somebody I Used to Know follows workaholic Ally (Brie) who, on a trip to her hometown, spends a night reminiscing with her ex-boyfriend Sean (Ellis), which makes her start to question everything about the choices she’s made and the person she’s become. And things only get more confusing when she meets Cassidy (Clemons), a younger woman who reminds her of the person she used to be.
The film reunites Franco and Brie with Black Bear following their box office success, The Rental. The horror film, which marked Franco’s directorial debut and starred Brie, released last summer to rave reviews, topping the weekend box office for two consecutive weeks.
“Alison and I love romantic comedies and were inspired by the classics from the 80’s and 90’s,” said Franco. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with Jay and Kiersey, who are both extremely natural performers, capable of bringing levity and drama in equal measure. And we’re so grateful to have partnered with Amazon Studios, who have been incredibly supportive in helping bring this project to life.”
“Audiences around the world are going to fall in love with Somebody I Used to Know just as much as we did,” said Julie Rapaport, Co-Head of Movies at Amazon Studios. “Dave and Alison have reimagined a beloved genre in a delightfully modern way. We could not be more thrilled to watch this incredible cast bring the film to life, shepherded by Dave’s vision, and to partner with Temple Hill and Black Bear to bring it to screen.”
Franco’s producing credits include a24’s Zola which premiered to glowing reviews; the highly anticipated Hulu mini-series Pam & Tommy starring Sebastian Stan and Lily James; and the upcoming Vanilla Ice biopic To the Extreme in which he is also attached to star. In front of the camera, Franco recently wrapped production on the Apple Limited Series The Afterparty, which reteams him with producers Lord and Miller, and Netflix’s feature film Day Shift in which he stars opposite Jamie Foxx.
In film, Brie most recently starred in Focus Features’ Promising Young Woman, which earned an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, in addition to a nomination for Best Motion Picture of the Year. On the television side, she previously starred in Glow for Netflix, earning two Golden Globe Award nominations for her role.
Ellis currently stars in HBO’s Emmy-nominated comedy series, Insecure, returning for its fifth and final season this October. In film, he will next be seen in the highly anticipated Paramount Pictures sequel Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise, set to release November 19. Ellis most recently co-created and executive produced the new original podcast “Written Off,” that amplifies voices of formerly incarcerated young authors with a remarkable talent for the written word.
Clemons is set to reprise her role as ‘Iris West’ in The Flash for Warner Bros., slated to release next November. She previously appeared as ‘Darling’ in the live action-CGI hybrid feature, Lady and the Tramp for Disney+ as well as starred in the Sundance breakout films Hearts Beat Loud and Sweetheart. Clemons will also voice a lead character in the upcoming animated series, Fairfax, an adult half-hour for Amazon Prime Video scheduled to launch this fall.
Temple Hill recently released Paul Weitz’s Fatherhood, starring Kevin Hart, which was watched by over 60 million families on Netflix in its first month, and Clea DuVall’s Happiest Season, which was Hulu’s most watched original film in the streaming service’s history. Upcoming films include Carey Williams’ Emergency, an unconventional thriller for Amazon Studios, and Chris Landon’s We Have A Ghost, a family adventure for Netflix starring Anthony Mackie & David Harbour. Temple Hill also just produced second seasons of their hit TV series Dave on FX and the Love, Simon spinoff Love, Victor on Hulu.
Black Bear Pictures’ current slate includes: Neil Burger’s highly anticipated psychological thriller The Marsh King’s Daughter starring Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn; Martin Campbell’s upcoming thriller Memory starring Liam Neeson; Annette Bening starrer Nyad which is currently in pre-production and will be directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin; Heidi Ewing’s I Carry You With Me; and J Blakeson’s I Care A Lot which debuted earlier this year and received a Golden Globes win for ‘Best Actress’ for Rosamund Pike.
Franco is represented by WME, Anonymous Content, and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson. Brie is represented by WME, Rise Management, and attorney AJ Brandenstein at Sloan Offer. Ellis is represented by UTA, Rise Management, and Hansen Jacobson. Clemons is represented by UTA, Range Media Partners, and Jackoway Tyerman.
About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing original films and television series for a global audience. Original series premiere on Amazon Prime Video, which is available in over 240 countries and territories, including the Emmy Award-winning comedies Fleabag, created by and starring Emmy Award-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel from Emmy Award-winners Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, as well as the action thriller drama Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan starring John Krasinski, the irreverent superhero seriesThe Boys, Greg Daniels’ comedy Upload, and The Underground Railroad, from Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins. Amazon Originals also include culturally relevant and buzzed about content such as Rihanna’s annual Savage X Fenty music and fashion event. Amazon Studios also produces original content for IMDb TV, Amazon’s premium free streaming service. Upcoming IMDb TV series from Amazon Studios include the Bosch spin-off series starring Titus Welliver and the Untitled Judge Judy Sheindlin Project.
In film, Amazon Studios produces and acquires original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Studios became the first streaming service to win Oscars for Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman. In 2021, Amazon Studios received a record-breaking 12 Academy Award nominations, winning two for Sound of Metal for Best Editing and Best Sound. Recent Amazon Original Movies include the sci-fi adventure The Tomorrow War, starring Chris Pratt, the action-packed thriller Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse starring Michael B. Jordan, the cultural smash hit Coming 2 America starring Eddie Murphy, the Golden Globe-winning comedy Borat Subsequent Moviefilm with Sacha Baron Cohen, the Oscar-winning Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed, the family comedy My Spy starring Dave Bautista, Garrett Bradley’s Time,Sylvie’s Love starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, Regina King’s directorial debut One Night in Miami…, and I’m Your Woman starring and produced by Rachel Brosnahan.
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