Prolific director Woody Allen is enjoying a bit of an upswing after last year’s critically acclaimed Blue Jasmine. Though he’s always been a bit hit and miss, his last effort was one of his best yet and this summer, we’ll see if he can strike gold again with his next film, Magic in the Moonlight. The romantic comedy has been shrouded in secrecy for a while now but thanks to The Film Stage, we finally have some more details about the film, including an official release date.
Taking place in the south of France in the 1920’s, Magic in the Moonlight will arrive on July 25th and stars Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Atkins, Hamish Linklater and Simon McBurney. A previous synopsis for the film describes it as “a romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle,” wherein personal and professional complications ensue.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Allen offered up a few more details about the film, saying:
“I had it on a piece of notepaper in my drawer for ages. I knew it was a good plot, but I kept seeing it as a contemporary thing and something about that just didn’t smell right to me. Then when it occurred to me it could be set in the south of France in the 1920s, all of a sudden it just felt good.”
Firth will play the Englishman, “who sets out to expose a phony mystic (Stone), only to end up falling for her.” Many will find the 28-year age difference between the two actors a bit odd (especially considering the director’s own personal controversies), but if anyone can make this work it’s Allen. He’s gathered a terrific cast for this film and I’m excited to see him return to the same setting and time period as Midnight in Paris.
Tell us, what do you think of these new story details for Magic in the Moonlight? Will you find a way to fit the romantic comedy into your summer movie-viewing schedule? Let us know in the comments below.