Wagner Moura, Sofia Carson, Brian Tyree Henry & Elisabeth Moss To Star In ‘Last Night At The Lobster’; Bankside & WME Independent Launch For AFM

EXCLUSIVE: Wagner Moura (Narcos), Sofia Carson (Purple Hearts), Oscar nominee Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway), and Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) have been set to star in comedy-drama Last Night At The Lobster, which Moura will direct.

Bankside Films is launching international sales on the project ahead of the American Film Market. WME Independent is handling North American rights.

Based on the well-received novel by Stewart O’Nan with a screenplay written by Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro, Jane Anderson and Eboni Booth, the film is currently in pre-production and is due to shoot early next year.

Pic will be Moura’s second feature following Marighella in 2019 and having directed episodes of Narcos: Mexico, and an acting career with credits including Civil War, Narcos and Elite Squad.

The synopsis reads: “Manny, manager of a chain seafood restaurant, arrives to work a week before Christmas to discover that the restaurant is closing down and he must choose who to take with him to the next location. As the day wears on, the team get snowed in by a blizzard so they decide to enjoy their one final night at The Lobster.”

Pic will be produced by Peter Saraf and Eddie Rubin of Optimistic Pictures, known for The Farewell, Loving, and Little Miss Sunshine.

Wagner Moura said: “I feel I’ve been preparing for the last 30 years to make this movie. When I first read Last Night At The Lobster, it struck me as a classic holiday film with all the heightened emotion and heartwarming message that you expect, but also one that evokes the films about working class people which have been an integral part of cinematic storytelling and my biggest influence growing up in Brazil.”

Peter Saraf added: “With Wagner and this extraordinary cast, I have no doubt we can bring Stewart O’Nan’s brilliant novel to life in a wildly original film that will charm audiences and find its place in the rotation of films people return to year after year.”

Stephen Kelliher of Bankside Films commented: “We were immediately bowled over by Last Night At The Lobster. It is a classic take on a festive story but one which celebrates humanity, compassion and love with an abundance of joy. It is set to become a perennial treat for audiences around the world.”