Netflix is firmly in the thick of the Oscar race this year thanks to films by Noah Baumbach, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and more. But even though we have yet to see how this year’s films will fare in awards season, it appears that the streaming service is already locking down at least one film that can compete next fall from director Alexander Payne.
READ MORE: Emma Stone & Ralph Fiennes Join Alexander Payne’s New Dark Comedy ‘The Menu’
Deadline is reporting that Netflix has agreed to finance and distribute Payne’s next film, an untitled drama starring none other than Mads Mikkelsen. The film is said to follow a Danish journalist (Mikkelsen), who travels on a road trip through the US, alongside his teenage daughter, for a story.
Payne is no stranger to awards contention. The filmmaker has been nominated for seven Oscars over the course of his career, winning two — Best Original Screenplay for both “The Descendants” and “Sideways.” He’s also known for films like “Election,” “Nebraska,” and most recently, “Downsizing,” which was seen as a bit of a disappointment back in 2017.
Interestingly, it appears that this Netflix drama is leapfrogging the other film that Payne is said to be working on, the Emma Stone-starring “The Menu.” That film is still in development, with this new Mikkelsen film taking precedence. The new film is written by Erlend Loe, who is probably best known for his work on the 2009 film “Nord.”
Filming on the untitled Netflix drama is said to begin next month in Europe, with a fall 2020 release date being eyed. You know, so that Payne finds himself deep in the hunt for even more accolades.