Sundance Film Festival Adds Movies Starring Dakota Johnson, Demi Moore, Mark Duplass
By Dave McNary
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Sundance Film Festival has added the world premieres of Dakota Johnson-Armie Hammer’s “Wounds” and Demi Moore-Ed Helms’ “Corporate Animals” to its lineup.
Both movies have been added to the midnight section. “Wounds” is a horror-thriller focusing on the disturbing aftermath of a bartender in New Orleans picking up a phone left behind at his bar. Zazie Beetz and Karl Glusman also star. Babak Anvari directed from his own script, based on Nathan Ballingrud’s novella “The Visible Filth.”
“Corporate Animals” is a horror-comedy, directed by Patrick Brice from a screenplay by Sam Bain. Moore portrays an egotistical CEO of an edible cutlery company, leading her long-suffering staff on a corporate team-building trip in a New Mexico cave, where Helms plays the guide. The pic also stars Jessica Williams, Karan Soni, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Calum Worthy, Dan Bakkedahl, Martha Kelly, and Nasim Pedrad.
The fest also added the world premiere of “Paddleton,” directed by Alex Lehmann and produced by Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Alana Carithers, and Sean Bradley. The film, starring Mark Duplass, Ray Romano, Ravi Patel, and Christine Woods, centers on the unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors.
Additional day-one titles include “Apollo 11,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “Give Me Liberty,” “The Inventor: Out For Blood in Silicon Valley,” “The Last Tree,” and “Memory – The Origins of ‘Alien.’” The festival’s closing night film will be “Troop Zero.”
Sundance also announced that it’s added “The Hours and Times” and “The Blair Witch Project,” which premiered at the in 1992 and 1999, respectively.
With these additions, the 2019 festival has selected a total of 117 feature films, with 39% directed by one or more women, 35% directed by one or more filmmaker of color, and 13% by one or more people who identify as LGBTQIA. The festival opens its 35th edition on Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 3.
