UPDATED: Venice’s Alberto Barbera basically confirming my original intel, three hours later. “Saltburn” is going to Telluride and, surprise, Toronto! It’s also being released on Black Friday, November 24th in New York and L.A. and expands wide on December 1st.
EARLIER: There were many wondering why Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” did not show up inside the Toronto and Venice lineups.
We need not worry, it’s set to world premiere at Telluride on labor day weekend where it will most likely make a major splash over there. Here’s hoping it becomes a late addition at TIFF.
Around a month ago, I was hearing that TIFF, Telluride and Venice were fighting it out for the world premiere of Fennell’s film. Telluride seems to have come out on top.
Fennell’s upcoming thriller, starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Ewan Mitchell and Rosamund Pike, test-screened in February to wildly positive reactions.
Fennell directed the Sundance sensation, “Promising Young Woman,” in 2020. She went on to win a Best Original Screenplay Oscar, but was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. Obviously, in many circles, her follow-up comes with high expectations.
Those expectations seem to have been met. Barry Keoghan carries the movie and is said to be flat-out amazing. The movie fully showcases his insane commitment as an actor. “He will shock you,” says a person who attended the screening.
The film, which is set in the early aughts, is being described as a Thriller/Drama. A significant amount of the plot takes place in college. The movie is said to revolve around Keoghan’s obsession with Elordi’s character:
Much like in “Promising Young Woman,” the cinematography and visuals “are so good you can eat it”. The film has similar vibes to “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” according to a person I spoke to.
Following “Air,” this is Affleck’s latest stint behind the camera. He has cast himself in the lead role, alongside Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”).