Netflix Acquires US Rights to Pablo Larraín’s ‘Maria’

Netflix has acquired the US rights to Pablo Larraín’s upcoming film ‘Maria’, starring Angelina Jolie, ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Directed by Larraín from a screenplay by Steven Knight, ‘Maria’ is a creative imagining and psychological portrait of legendary soprano Maria Callas. The film is set in the 1970s, near the end of Callas’ life, and explores the period when she lost her voice and tried to regain it.

The cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Valeria Golino.

Larraín said: “I’m excited to partner again with the Netflix team who care so passionately about movies. This film is my most personal work yet. It is a creative imagining and psychological portrait of Maria Callas who, after dedicating her life to performing for audiences around the world, decides finally to find her own voice, her own identity, and sing for herself. I’m deeply honoured to tell this story and share it with audiences worldwide like Maria did with her life.”

Production Details

The film is produced by Juan de Dios Larraín, Lorenzo Mieli, and Jonas Dornbach, with the Apartment, Fabula, Komplizen, and Fremantle as the production companies. FilmNation represents worldwide rights.

Previous Collaborations

This is Netflix’s second film with Larraín as director, following last year’s awards contender ‘El Conde’, which earned an Oscar nomination for cinematographer Ed Lachman, who reunites with Larraín on ‘Maria’. The new film marks the seventh production partnership between the Larraín brothers’ production company Fabula and Netflix, which includes Maite Alberdi’s upcoming film ‘In Her Place).

Conclusion

Netflix’s acquisition of ‘Maria’ is a significant move in the run-up to the awards season, and marks another collaboration between the streaming service and Larraín, who has demonstrated his ability to create critically acclaimed films through his previous work.

FAQs

When will ‘Maria’ debut on Netflix? Details on the timing and length of an awards-qualifying theatrical run and when the film will debut on the platform will follow in due course.

Who are the key cast members? The film stars Angelina Jolie, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Valeria Golino.

When did filming take place? Unfortunately, the exact dates of filming have not been disclosed.

What is the overall theme of the film? The film explores the period in Maria Callas’ life when she lost her voice and tries to regain it, as well as her own identity and sense of self.