Netflix, which has become a go-to destination for its original series, has been making more noise lately with original and exclusive movies on the platform. It seems like every couple of weeks, there is news of a buzzy movie headed to Netflix. Continuing this trend of big name actors and directors working with the preeminent streaming service, actress and producer Amy Poehler will be making her movie directorial debut with a film for Netflix titled Wine Country.
Amy Poehler will produce the film through her Paper Kite Productions, and, as one would expect from the actress, Wine Country will be a comedy. Emily Spivey and Liz Cackowski wrote the script for the film, which will tell the story of a group of longtime friends who go to Napa for a weekend getaway in order to celebrate a 50th birthday. In addition to directing and producing, Amy Poehler will also star in the film, and she will be joined by a stellar cast of female comedians, including Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Maya Rudolph, Emily Spivey and, of course, Tina Fey. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wine Country will begin filming in Los Angeles and Napa later this month.
Amy Poehler obviously has a lot of experience in front of the camera, but this won't be her first time behind it. The hilarious actress previously directed an episode of Comedy Central's Broad City, as well as a few episodes of Parks and Recreation. This sounds like the right kind of film for Amy Poehler to make the jump to movies. She'll be working in the comedic genre where she excels, alongside many frequent collaborators. The premise is also a fun one, even though it doesn't give away much about the story. Just having all of these actresses together as their characters indulge in Napa's most famous export should be ripe for silliness as the women all play off one another.
Netflix has made a lot of news with its films of late. Bright, Mute and The Cloverfield Paradox all made a splash, for better or worse. Beyond just buzzy genre fare though, Netflix is providing a platform for stories that otherwise might struggle to get a budget and theatrical release, like 6 Balloons. They don't always hit quality wise, but it's good that the service is able to distribute movies like this. Now, when people are done binging Parks and Recreation for the umpteenth time, Netflix can recommend Amy Poehler's first feature directorial effort.
There is no release date set for Wine Country to debut on Netflix, but we'll keep you posted when the first trailer arrives. Check out our guide to see all of the original movies and acquisitions coming to Netflix in 2018.
