EXCLUSIVE: In a wide open awards year, it has been surprising to see the Forrest Gump meeting Here barely get a mention on recent Oscar prediction lists and on betting websites.
Multiple distributors I’ve spoken to who have seen the ambitious Robert Zemeckis movie are fans. One told me it’s a “unique, Oscar contender”, while another said it “packs an emotional wallop and had me in tears”. Admittedly, some others I spoke to were more in the middle on it.
Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in the film, which is “about multiple families and the special place they inhabit — the story travels through generations, capturing the human experience.” Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Dockery also star.
The trailer below offers a glimpse at the story arc for the project, which is rumored to be budgeted in the $50M range. The film’s backdrop is seemingly one room and the many life events that take place in it. Zemeckis harnessed de-aging technology to capture scenes of Hanks and Wright as younger versions of themselves.
The movie didn’t play at any of the traditional awards launchpad festivals (which isn’t uncommon for Zemeckis) and has been kept relatively under the radar despite its strong elements. Press and tastemaker screenings have been limited.
Zemeckis’ recent movies haven’t approached the heights of his classics. His last film to be Oscar-nominated was Allied back in 2016 (for costumes). His last movie to garner a Best Actor name was Flight in 2012. That one was also the big-canvas director’s last film to properly take off at the box office.
We’ll see how Here plays out. The world premiere is October 25 at AFI Fest before Sony Pictures gives it a wide domestic release from November 1. What we do know for sure and can reveal today is that Miramax has sold out on the movie globally, including a lucrative theatrical commitment deal with Amazon MGM Studios for UK, German-speaking Europe and Australia and New Zealand.
Theatrical deals have also closed with Latin America / Spain and Portugal (Vertice), France (SND), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Eastern Europe (Vertical), Ukraine (Top), Scandinavia (Nordisk), Japan (Kino), Korea ( Koreascreen), Turkey (Filmarti) and Canada (VVS).
Deals have closed for Baltics (GPI), Benelux (Searchers), Greece (Spentzos), Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Iceland (Myndform), India (PVR), Indonesia (PT Prima), Israel (SPI), Middle East ( Eagle Films), Mongolia (Mongol), Philippines (Pioneer), Singapore (Shaw), South Africa (Empire), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Thailand (Sahamongkol), Vietnam (Purple Plan) and West Indies (Caribbean Cinemas).
In a relatively rare acquisition these days, China has been sold to Huahua. Sony cam aboard early for domestic. The distributor appetite has been there for the movie.
Screenplay comes from Eric Roth — who also scripted Forrest Gump — and Zemeckis, based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire. Producers are Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue, and Bill Block. Exec producers are Jeremy Johns, Andrew Golov, and Thom Zadr. Miramax and ImageMovers are the production companies.
