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3 months ago
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EXCLUSIVE: Following the huge success of Michael Showalter‘s Prime Video rom-com The Idea of You, Showalter and Jordana Mollick‘s Semi-Formal Productions has entered into a multi-year first-look film deal with Amazon MGM Studios, Deadline can exclusively reveal.
Under the pact, Amazon MGM will have a first look at narrative features Semi-Formal Productions intends to produce for both theatrical and streaming.
Showalter and Mollick have an existing relationship with Amazon MGM Studios through which they most recently launched The Idea of You, an adaptation of the bestseller from Robinne Lee, directed, co-written and produced by Showalter, produced by Mollick, and starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. Adapted for the screen by Showalter and Westfeldt, the film centers on Solène (Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Galitzine) — the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet — while at Coachella with her daughter.
Released on Prime Video after premiering at SXSW, the film had heat on it from the start, on the basis of the reception of its first trailer alone, which became the most-watched trailer of any original streaming feature from Amazon, with more than 125 million views. Upon its first two weeks on Prime Video, the film attracted nearly 50 million viewers, landing Amazon MGM Studios’ No. 1 romantic-comedy debut of all time.
On the heels of that film, Semi-Formal has reteamed with the studio on Oh. What. Fun., a holiday comedy to star Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer. We were first to report on the project, which is currently in production. Showalter first worked with Amazon MGM on the commercial and critical hit The Big Sick, co-written by and starring Kumail Nanjiani, which won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy in 2018.
Stated Julie Rapaport, Head of Film, Production and Development at Amazon MGM Studios, “Working with Michael and Jordana on multiple films now has been a truly wonderful experience. They are incredible partners who bring heart, passion and humor to everything they do, and we can’t wait to continue the collaboration.”
Added Showalter and Mollick in a joint statement, “Working with the incredible and brilliant Amazon team has been an absolute dream come true and we could not be more grateful for their unwavering support and deep understanding of our sensibility and the projects we want to make. We couldn’t be more thrilled to take our ‘semi-formal’ relationship to the next level and make it officially formal.”
Founded in 2018, Semi-Formal’s mission is to tell unique and heartfelt stories that are edgy, contemporary, and socially aware, with a focus on unconventional lead characters. The leadership team also includes Head of Development, Vice President Emily Crook and Director of Development Sam Newman.
On the feature side, past Semi-Formal projects include 2x Oscar winner The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain, as well as Spoiler Alert, Focus Features’ adaptation of journalist Michael Ausiello’s bestselling 2017 memoir, starring Sally Field and Jim Parsons. Both of those titles were directed by Showalter.
Emmy-nominated for their work on Hulu’s The Dropout, Showalter and Mollick’s Semi-Formal has also previously produced series including The Shrink Next Door for Apple TV+ and I Love That for You for Showtime. Upcoming projects include the Paramount+ serial killer drama Happy Face, A24’s adaptation of No. 1 true crime podcasts The Girlfriends, and comedy The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh for Amazon Freevee.
Semi-Formal is represented by UTA, Artists First, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
