Kenneth Lonergan’s long-anticipated Sundance hit Manchester By the Sea has secured a theatrical release, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Following a glittering festival run, Lonergan’s morose drama will hit select theaters on November 18, after Amazon partnered with Roadside Attraction. That places Manchester By the Sea in the thick of awards season, and considering the pre-release buzz surrounding the flick, it would be foolish to discount Lonergan going into this year’s Oscars race.
Stepping into the role left vacant by Matt Damon, it is Triple 9 star Casey Affleck that headlines the drama, returning to his childhood home upon catching wind of the death of his brother. There, he learns he must care for 16-year-old nephew, while dealing with “both his separated wife Randi and the community of North Shore.” Michelle Williams and Bloodline‘s Kyle Chandler are also among the cast.
Had Nate Parker’s much-touted race drama Birth of a Nation not took the festival by storm – eventually acquired by Fox Searchlight for $17 million – Manchester By the Sea would have landed the biggest deal of Sundance; instead, it became the second-biggest acquisition upon landing at Amazon in a deal said to be worth $10 million.
Manchester By the Sea, bearing an Oscar-worthy performance from Casey Affleck, will now make dock in select theaters come November 18.
