According to The Hollywood Reporter, Olivia Wilde (Booksmart), Tobey Maguire (The Great Gatsby), Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals), and Oscar winner Spike Jonze (Her) have officially signed on to join Paramount Pictures’ forthcoming period drama movie Babylon, which will be set during the late 1920s. Before joining the cast, Maguire has already been set as an executive producer on the Damien Chazelle-directed feature.
Further details about their characters are still being kept under wraps, but the project will reportedly explore the rise and fall of multiple characters. Production is expected to begin next week in Los Angeles.
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Babylon is described as an original drama set in period Hollywood, a “bold auteur piece with a significant budget.” It is also reportedly going to be R-rated, where the story will take place during the film industry’s major shift from silent film to talkies. Lionsgate was previously in the lead to land the movie at auction until Paramount came through with the winning bid.
The film will serve as a reunion project for Oscar-winner Brad Pitt and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood co-star Margot Robbie, who are both set for leading roles. Joining them are Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), Max Minghella (The Handmaid’s Tale, Spiral), Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts films), and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea (Back to the Future). It will also feature Rory Scovel, Lukas Haas, Eric Roberts. P.J. Byrne, Damon Gupton, Diego Calva, Jovan Adepo, and Li Jun Li, with Li set as Anna May Wong.
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Babylon will be written and directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Damien Chazelle (La La Land, First Man). Producers are Olivia Hamilton, Matt Plouffe, and Marc Platt,. It is executive produced by Tobey Maguire, Helen Estabrook, and Adam Siegel.
Originally scheduled for a 2021 release, the Brad Pitt-led film is currently set to debut on December 25, 2022, for a limited release which will then be followed by a wide theatrical release on January 6, 2023.
