Netflix Takes U.S. Rights To Pablo Larraín’s ‘Maria’ Starring Angelina Jolie

Netflix has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to "Maria," a biographical film about the iconic opera singer Maria Callas. The film is directed by Pablo Larraín, known for his work on "Spencer," and stars Angelina Jolie. "Maria" is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 29.

This marks the second collaboration between Netflix and Larraín, following the success of last year’s "El Conde," which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. The film is the seventh project that Larraín’s production company, Fabula, has partnered on with Netflix. This includes Maite Alberdi’s upcoming film "In Her Place."

"Maria" offers a creative and psychological exploration of Maria Callas, focusing on the later years of her life during the 1970s. The story portrays a woman who lived from the 1920s to the 1970s, passionately dedicating herself to her art, even as it took a toll on her life and voice.

The screenplay for "Maria" was written by Academy Award nominee Steven Knight, known for "Spencer." The film is produced by Juan de Dios Larraín, Lorenzo Mieli, and Jonas Dornbach. The project is a collaboration between several production companies, including The Apartment, a Fremantle company, as well as Fabula, Komplizen, and Fremantle. The cast also features Academy Award nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Valeria Golino.

Stated Larraín, “I’m excited to partner again with the Netflix team who care so passionately about movies. This film is my most personal work yet. It is a creative imagining and psychological portrait of Maria Callas who, after dedicating her life to performing for audiences around the world, decides finally to find her own voice, her own identity, and sing for herself. I’m deeply honored to tell this story and share it with audiences worldwide like Maria did with her life.”

Added Netflix’s Chairman of Film Dan Lin on the acquisition, “I’m excited that we are continuing to work with Pablo and Fabula – this is our seventh project with them, most recently with El Conde and they are producing the upcoming In Her Place. Pablo continues a remarkable streak of exploring iconic women through film, this time with the incredible Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas.”

Andrea Scrosati, Group COO & CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle, commented, “We are delighted that Pablo Larraín’s extraordinary piece of filmmaking, Maria, with its incredible performance by Angelina Jolie, has found its US home at Netflix. I know they will give it the best possible support and we are grateful to Glen and his FilmNation team for spearheading the sale.”

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