Fans of filmmaker Woody Allen should be happy to know that Amazon has reportedly given back the controversial director the domestic distribution rights for his long-delayed film “A Rainy Day in New York.” However, that’s just the first step in what is sure to be a dicey process of bringing his film to US theaters.
Variety is reporting that Amazon has given Allen the rights to his film, but the future of a US release is far from a guarantee. The exact details of the deal struck between Amazon and Allen is unknown, but we do know that “A Rainy Day in New York” is free to find a US distributor and the deal between the studio and director does not affect the massive lawsuit that is going to be fought in court.
Recently, it was announced that Allen’s latest film, which stars Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet as a young couple who encounter various adventures during a rainy day in NYC, was going to see a staggered European release this fall. Now, the filmmaker is actively trying to find domestic distribution, but as the report states, it’s not going to be easy.
Variety says that one US distributor has already screened the film, but isn’t interested in releasing it. This isn’t due to anything relating to the content, but more so the controversy that surrounds Allen and decades-old claims that he sexually abused a minor. The report says that the distributor viewed the film as a courtesy to Allen.
It’s unlikely that any major distributors will take on the project. Stars Chalamet and Rebecca Hall have already donated their salaries from ‘A Rainy Day’ to charity after Allen’s past allegations resurfaced last year. In addition, it’s unlikely that Allen will see many cast members be willing to do publicity for the film, in light of the aforementioned allegations.
That leaves slim pickings for Allen. He’ll likely find someone to release the film, but fans hoping for a massive nationwide release might be out of luck.