– by ELI COLON –
The next Richard Linklater movie is already in pre-production, and will be released next year (likely in the fall of 2015). Now, Deadline is reporting Annapurna Pictures has stepped up to the plate to fund the film, titled “That’s What I’m Talking About.”
As part of the deal, Paramount will be releasing the film in the US next year, while Annapurna International will sell the foreign rights. Described as some kind of “spiritual sequel” to Linklater’s “Dazed & Confused,” this new film is set in 1980 about an “incoming freshman experiencing his first weekend in college as a pitcher on the school’s nationally ranked baseball team.” That sounds like it will make for an interesting Linklater film, especially following “Boyhood” and “Before Midnight.”
The project will start shooting in and around Austin, Texas (Linklater’s hometown), and includes an ensemble cast of young actors. The story follows Blake Jenner (“Glee”) as a college freshman pitcher who “finds himself among a hard-partying group of baseball players. The setting is 1980, and the guys step into the freedom and responsibility of unsupervised adulthood.”
The film also stars Tyler Hoechlin (“Teen Wolf”), Wyatt Russell (“22 Jump Street,” “This Is 40”), Ryan Guzman (“Step Up Revolution”), Zoey Deutch (“Good Kids”), Will Brittain (“A Teacher”) and Glen Powell (“Expendables 3,” “Ride Along 2”). Linklater, Sean Daniel, Sandra Adair, John Sloss, Ginger Sledge and Megan Ellison will produce.
As a fan of Linklater’s work (especially his last few movies), I’m much more interested in seeing him direct this project as opposed to “The Incredible Mr. Limpet.” After “Boyhood,” Linklater can pretty much go wherever and do whatever he wants, but if a college movie in the vein of “Dazed & Confused” is next for him, then batter up.
. . .
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