The Weinstein Company has acquired Paolo Sorrentino’s This Must Be the Place, a musical drama starring Sean Penn, Frances McDormand and Judd Hirsch that world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and is about to screen at BFI London Film Fest in October.
"Sorrentino is a true auteur. We were gripped by his film and are excited to share it with American audiences," TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein said. "Sean proves once again that he is one of the finest actors of our time."
In the film, Penn dons the gangly locks and goth-punk makeup mimicking Robert Smith from The Cure to play Cheyenne, a bored, frustrated ex-rocker who – in what feels like a sharp left turn – goes on a quest to find the former Nazi who executed his father. Sorrentino helmed The Consequences of Love and Il divo. His latest received mixed reviews from its Cannes run, with Penn earning praise for his portrayal of the conflicted celebrity. Truthfully, I think you could roll Place out there only using Penn’s picture as promotion, and enough curious ticket buyers will check it out. Still, the movie likely is hoping to generate some positive word of mouth in London before TWC releases it in the United States. But as of now, there isn’t a confirmed release date.
As for Penn, his next project will be a little more mainstream. He’ll play mobster Mickey Cohen in Ruben Fleischer’s period crime thriller Gangster Squad, appearing alongside Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie and Michael Pena.
