EXCLUSIVE: After the competitive bidding war, Apple Studios landed Dolly, a new feature film with Oscar nominee Florence Pugh together to star with Vanessa Taylor and Drew Pearce writing the script. People close to the project emphasize that the project has no green light at the moment, as the script has yet to be written and a director has yet to be hired. Insiders add that the package attracted the interest of a total of four bidders that included several studios and another streamer with Apple TV + emerging as the winner earlier this week.
The film is a sci-fi drama in which a robotic “companion doll” kills its owner and then shocks the world by claiming she is not guilty and asking for a lawyer. The film, which is inspired by Elizabeth Bear’s short story of the same name, has elements of both classic court drama and science fiction.
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Apple Studios was hired to produce, with Pearce also producing for Point of No Return Films, and Pugh and Taylor will serve as executive producers. Ian Fisher is executive producer for Point of No Return Films.
Pugh quickly became one of Hollywood’s rising stars in the ranking of actresses after his transformation into Midsommar and Oscar nominated role in Little Women. She next star at Marvel’s Black Widow scheduled to hit theaters in May 2021, and she recently started production as a female protagonist in Do not worry, dear for the New Line, directed by Olivia Wilde. She also recently joined to star in The maid adaptation at Universal.
The sale marks the first major sale for Pearce’s new production company and the project gained wide attention through Pearce’s innovative use of a full video pitch, which allowed the project to be viewed by several potential buyers simultaneously – something especially useful in a scenario where studios, streamers and investors are proliferating. Pearce successfully sold the Untitled stuntman argument in a competitive situation with Universal, with Dave Leitch directing and Ryan Gosling starring last fall in September using the same video advertising methodology.
Taylor is best known for her Oscar winning work in The shape of the water, that she co-wrote with Guillermo del Toro. She recently wrote the Netflix adaptation of Hillbilly Elegy starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close.
Pugh is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Curtis Brown and Associates and attorney Ziffren Brittenham. Taylor is represented by ICM Partners, Robert Offer at Sloane Offer Weber Dern and 42 West. Pearce and his Point of No Return Films are represented by WME and Jim Gilio and Warren Dern at Sloane Offer Weber Dern. Taylor is represented by Doug Johnson at ICM Partners and Robert Offer at Sloane Offer Weber Dern.
Apple’s list of original films includes the AFI Fest winner, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, New York Film Critics Circle, Dublin Film Critics Circle, Chicago Film Critics Association, Chicago Indie Critics, Critics’ Choice Super Award winning animated film Wolfwalkers; the recent Critics Choice Award nominee debut Palmer starring Justin Timberlake, directed by Fisher Stevens; Golden Globe nominee and Critics’ Choice film On the rocks, Greyhound written by and starring Tom Hanks; the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival Boys State, which also won two Critics Choice Documentary awards.
Apple TV + will also premiere early films soon, including the new film by Anthony and Joe Russo cherry, starring Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo; and winner of the Sundance Jury Grand Prize CODA.