Entertainment One picked up Cosmopolis as a finished film just ahead of its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film opened soon after its somewhat disappointing box office debut in Cronenberg’s native Canada, although the barrage of press in the U.S. surrounding the film’s main star, Robert Pattinson, and his legion of die-hard fans may provide the title some reversal of fortune at least initially. Beyond the hype, it should also play well to Cronenberg’s most ardent fans noted eOne’s VP theatrical, marketing and distribution Dylan Wiley. “I think this movie is Cronenberg at his most ‘Cronenbergiest,” said Wiley. Pattinson and Cronenberg “have a wide audience and if they catch on, we’ll take it out as wide as it will go.” Wiley noted that the natural audiences for Pattinson, Cronenberg and Cosmopolis novelist David DeLillo don’t “share much overlap,” so the potential appeal is wide. “On the marketing side, it’s about harnessing the multiple awareness we already have. Obviously Pattinson has his fan-base and Don LeLillo has his target audience. Cronenberg has a bit older, smart and affluent following along with younger males and the hipster crowd.”
Asked if the recent flurry of Pattinson-centered press that erupted following revelations of relationship trouble with his Twilight Saga co-star Kristen Stewart had changed any of their marketing or release plans, Wiley said no. “To Rob’s credit, he has fulfilled everything he’s been asked to do and more,” said Wiley. “It’s a testament to him personally and also about what he feels about this movie and what it means to him and his development as an actor. [For him] the focus has been only on the movie. He’s been very professional in keeping the focus on his work for Cosmopolis.” The film’s U.S. release this weekend had already been pre-set months ago. “We’re doing an accelerated platform release, playing the Landmark in Los Angeles and the Sunshine and Lincoln Center in New York,” said Wiley. “Cronenberg will do Q&As at Lincoln Center. We know the audiences there will be naturally huge for him because of the number of fans he has in New York, and we expect the film to play there a long time. Next week, we’ll add 20 markets and then around the 31st, we’ll add more which will bring the film up to about 50 markets.”
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