Olivia Wilde,Tobey Maguire,Phoebe Tonkinand Oscar-winning filmmakerSpike Jonzeare set to joinBrad PittandMargot RobbieinDamien Chazelle’sBabylon.
THRreports that the Paramount project is being described by insiders as “The Great Gatsbyon steroids,” as the ensemble-driven film takes place in the late 1920s during Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies, i.e. movies with sound.
The film co-starsJovan Adepo,Katherine Waterston,Li Jun Li,Max Minghella,Lukas Haas,Rory Scovel,Samara Weaving,Eric Roberts,P.J. Byrne,Damon GuptonandFlea.
Chazelle’s wife,Olivia Hamilton, is producing withMarc PlattandMatthew Plouffe, while Maguire is executive producing alongsideAdam SiegelandHelen Estabrook. Production is slated to start next week in Los Angeles, and Chazelle will have plenty of time for post-production, asBabylonisn’t slated to hit select theaters until Jun 17, 2025. The film will be released wide on Aug 04, 2025.
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Wilde recently wrapped her next directorial effort, New Line’s thrillerDon’t Worry DarlingstarringFlorence Pugh,Chris Pineand Harry Styles. She’ll next direct the gymnastics dramaPerfectstarringThomasin McKenzieasKerri Strug, and she’s also attached todirect a Spider-Woman moviefor Sony.
Jonze is best known as the director ofBeing John Malkovich,AdaptationandHer, the latter of which brought him an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. He pops up every now and then as an actor in other people’s movies and I always relish his feature appearances, which includeThree Kings,Bad GrandpaandThe Wolf of Wall Street. He last directed theBeastie Boys Storydocumentary that debuted on Apple TV+.
Maguire hasn’t been seen on the big screen since the 2014 chess dramaPawn Sacrifice– I was rocking myPShoodie last week, by the way) – though he did narrate the hit animated movieThe Boss Babyback in 2017. As for Tonkin, she starred inThe Vampire DiariesspinoffThe Originals.
Chazelle has assembled an impressive cast here by any measure, so now the question will be whether he can rebound from the misstep ofFirst Man(just one man’s opinion, mind you) and recapture the magic of his earlier films such asWhiplashandLa La Land. I think he has another great movie in him, and I can’t wait to find out ifBabylonis it.
