It’s no wonder Sony Pictures Classics is so eager to get back in bed with Woody Allen for his next film “Nero Fiddled” – which the specialty division has just acquired – as “Midnight in Paris”, their most recent venture with the writer/director, has so far grossed over $140 million worldwide (more than $56 million of that from the domestic market).
Indeed, “Paris” is the highest-grossing film in Allen’s oeuvre thus far (though several of his earlier commercially-successful efforts, including “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Manhattan”, would top it if grosses were adjusted for inflation), and with the film now a quadruple-Golden Globe nominee as well as a likely Best Picture contender at next year’s Oscars, the 76-year-old filmmaker’s career is hotter than its been in years (well, at least since “Match Point”, anyway).
“I”ve had a number of very good experiences working with Sony Classics, culminating most recently with ‘Midnight in Paris’,” said Allen in a statement. “They seem to be very sensitive to the kind of films I make, and I’m looking forward to working with them now again.”
“Nero”, which also features Allen’s first acting role since 2006’s “Scoop” starring Scarlett Johansson, is a vignette (or portmanteau) romantic-comedy film set in Rome. Along with Allen, the cast includes Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Judy Davis (playing Allen’s wife), Greta Gerwig and Roberto Benigni. It’s expected to be released sometime in the summer of 2012.
Did you enjoy “Midnight in Paris”? Does “Nero Fiddled” sound like something you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments!