Quendrith Johnson

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

So there’s a poll, source may have some bias, that has determined that “80 percent of Americans want to go out to the movies in July.” We thank our friends at DDAPR for that stat, and with it comes the first movie out of the Pandemic box. UNHINGED starring Russell Crowe from Solstice Studios is set for July 1.

“We made this decision after extensive consultation with the National Association of Theater Owners and leading theater chains,” said Mark Gill, President and CEO of Solstice Studios, which produced and will release the film in the U.S. “Those conversations have convinced us there is a way to meet pent up demand for the theatrical experience safely.”

Here’s the official announcement...       

LOS ANGELES, CA: America’s movie theaters will show their first new film on July 1st, Unhinged, a thriller starring Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe. The move comes in response to a new poll that shows more than 80% of Americans want to go out to the movies in July.

The U.S. release of “Unhinged” will follow or coincide with theater openings in nations around the globe, including Australia, China, The Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan—with a number of additional countries likely to announce openings in late June or July.

Theater plans to open safely across the United States will comply with all state public health department guidelines and are expected to include such measures as socially distant seating (capacities of 25-50%), staggered show times to reduce crowding, and more time between each show to allow for increased cleaning.

Unhinged is a psychological thriller starring Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe from Carl Ellsworth, the writer of Red Eye and Disturbia and Lisa Ellzey, the producer of Warrior and Kingdom of Heaven. It takes an ordinary, everyday incident to its most terrifying conclusion in telling the story of a mother who leans on her horn at the wrong time, to the wrong guy.

"Road rage" doesn't begin to describe what he's about to do to her and everyone she knows. The film is directed by Derrick Borte (American Dreamer) and also stars Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson and Austin P. McKenzie.

Who is Solstice Studios?’

Solstice Studios is an independent movie company founded in October 2018 in partnership with Ingenious Media. The studio develops, fully finances, produces, sells internationally and distributes feature films in the U.S. on a wide-release basis —generally in the $20-80M budget range.

Solstice is led by President & CEO Mark Gill (former president of Warner Independent Pictures, Miramax Films and Millennium Films who has worked on such films as the Hitman’s Bodyguard and the Olympus Has Fallen series, March of the Penguins, Frida, Pulp Fiction and three Academy Award best picture winners, Shakespeare in Love, Chicago and The English Patient. The company’s senior team includes Production Head Lisa Ellzey (formerly at Fox, Lionsgate and Scott Free); Co-Head of Production Guy Botham (of Vitality VFX whose recent credits include San Andreas); Marketing/Strategy Head Vincent Bruzzese (formerly at STX, OTX and Marketcast, whose recent credits include Bad Moms and Halloween); Acquisitions & International Head Crystal Bourbeau (formerly of Lionsgate, who sold La La Land and the Hunger Games, Saw, Now You See Me and John Wick series); Physical Production Head Dana Belcastro (formerly of Fox, Alcon and New Line); Business & Legal Affairs Head Karen Barna (formerly of Summit Entertainment and Bold Films); Chief Financial Officer Shaun Williams (formerly of Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Studio 8 and GK Films/FilmDistrict) and Head of US Distribution Shari Hardison (formerly of STX and Overture Films).

Visit them here www.solstice-studios.com.

Good on you Russell. #UnhingedMovie ;)

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