AMAZON STUDIOS FALLS HEAD-OVER-HEELS FOR "I WANT YOU BACK" WITH ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE CHARLIE DAY, JENNY SLATE, GINA RODRIGUEZ, SCOTT EASTWOOD AND MANNY JACINTO
Romantic Comedy to be Directed by Jason Orley and Written By "This is Us" Co-showrunners
Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger
Culver City, CA - February 22, 2020 - Amazon Studios starts production on the original romantic comedy I Want You Back directed by Jason Orley (Big Time Adolescence), and penned by Love, Simon writers and This Is Us co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. The ensemble comedy will star Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Gina Rodriguez, Scott Eastwood, Manny Jacinto and Clark Backo. Producers are Peter Safran and John Rickard of The Safran Company, Aptaker and Berger of The Walk-Up Company. Production is slated to start early next month in Atlanta.
Emma (Slate) and Peter (Day) thought they were on the precipice of life's biggest moments - marriage, kids, and houses in the suburbs - until their respective partners dumped them. In their thirties and terrified that they have missed their shot at happily ever after, Emma and Peter are horrified to learn that their partners have already moved on. With no prospects on the horizon and the threat of dying alone hanging over their heads, they hatch a desperate plan to put an end to their exes' new relationships and win them back.
The ensemble cast is rounded out with Jami Gertz, Jordan Carlos, Midori Francis, Mason Gooding, Isabel May and Luke David Blumm. Executive producers are Day, Adam Londy and Bart Lipton.
"It's a dream to be able to bring Isaac and Elizabeth's brilliantly authentic vision to the world! It will surely capture the hearts of our Prime Video customers," said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. "We couldn't be more excited to see this amazing ensemble come aboard this fun and witty story that audiences will fall in love with."
Director Jason Orley said, "I immediately fell in love with Isaac and Elizabeth's funny, heartfelt script, and I am so honored that they, along with the amazing team at Amazon are allowing me to bring their timeless love story to life, and that I get to do it with such an incredible group of actors."
"We are beyond thrilled to be in business with Jen and her team at Amazon Studios to make a fresh romantic comedy full of heart," said Aptaker and Berger. "Alongside our partners at The Safran Company, we have assembled a phenomenally talented cast of comedy all-stars and have the wonderful Jason Orley at the helm to tell this story of passion, heartbreak, and the lengths people will go to in the name of true love."
Creative talent behind the camera includes Production Designer Michael Perry, Director of Photography Brian Burgoyne, Costume Designer Samantha Hawkins, Casting Director John Papsidera, Editor Jonathan Schwartz and Composer Siddhartha Khosla.
Jason Orley made his directorial debut with his film Big Time Adolescence which premiered in dramatic competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. He also wrote the screenplay, which appeared on the 2014 Blacklist. Jason directed and produced Pete Davidson's Netflix stand-up comedy special Alive From New York. He has sold and developed television pilots at HULU, TNT and CBS, and served as a writer on the political satire series Graves for Epix. He has written feature screenplays for Universal, Paramount and Fox Searchlight.
Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger are Emmy-nominated writers and producers who work in features and television. Isaac and Elizabeth wrote the acclaimed comedy Love, Simon for which they won the Humanitas Prize. They are also currently writing a new film based on Meg Wolitzer's latest novel, The Female Persuasion, starring Nicole Kidman, for Amazon Studios. In television, the two serve as co-showrunners and executive producers on the hit NBC drama This Is Us with series creator Dan Fogelman, currently in its fifth season. They also created and executive produce the Hulu series Love, Victor which is in production on its second season. The duo continues to develop new projects via their production company, The Walk-Up Company.
# # #
About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing original films and television series for a global audience. Original series all premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, which is available in over 240 countries and territories. Recent hit Amazon Original series include 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 series The Boys, and fantasy drama Carnival Row starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne; Amazon Originals also include culturally relevant and buzzed about content such as Rihanna's Savage X Fenty music and fashion event, Donald Glover's Guava Island and Chasing Happiness, a documentary about pop superstars the Jonas Brothers.
In film, Amazon Studios produces and acquires original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. In 2017, Amazon Studios became the first streaming service to win Oscars for Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman. Recent Amazon original movies include the subversive comedy Borat Subsequent Moviefilm with Sacha Baron Cohen, Troop Zero starring Viola Davis and Allison Janney, the Academy Award nominated Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly, the family comedy My Spy starring Dave Bautista and Chloe Coleman, Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed, Garrett Bradley's Time, Sylvie's Love with Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, Regina King's directorial debut One Night in Miami... , Alan Ball's Uncle Frank with Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillis, and I'm Your Woman starring and produced by Rachel Brosnahan.
|