Robot and Frank

Warner Bros. Pushes Back SEVENTH SON and BEAUTIFUL CREATURES; ROBOT AND FRANK Gets a Release Date

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: May 3rd, 2012 at 6:12 pm

We’ve got some shuffling of release dates for two Warner Bros. distributions and a new release date for one of our favorite films from this year’s Sundance.  Here’s a glance:

• Warner Bros. pushes back The Seventh Son from February 15th, 2013 to October 18th, 2013.
• Another Warner Bros. film, Beautiful Creatures, has taken Seventh Son’s place by moving back two weeks to open on February 15th, 2013.
• Starring Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Susan Sarandon and a robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), Robot and Frank will open on August 24th of this year.

Hit the jump for more on each film.

Directors Jake Schreier and Screenwriter Christopher D. Ford Talk ROBOT AND FRANK at Sundance

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 6th, 2012 at 6:30 pm

One of my favorite films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was director Jake Schreier‘s Robot and Frank.  The film is set in the near future and centers on an elderly ex-jewel thief (Frank Langella) whose kids (James Marsden and Liv Tyler) give him a caretaker robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), sparking an unlikely friendship. Susan Sarandon plays a librarian who serves as Langella’s only friend.  Since premiering at the festival, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films picked up the film for distribution, so you can expect to see it for yourself later this year.  For more on the film, you can read Matt’s review.

Right after seeing the film I got to sit down with Jake Schreier and screenwriter Christopher D. Ford.   During the interview we talked about the origin of the movie, how the script changed along the way, how they got financing, the design of the robot, the quick shooting schedule, what they learned during friends and family screenings, premiering at Sundance, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to the interview.

Frank Langella Talks ROBOT AND FRANK, His First Book DROPPED NAMES, and More at Sundance 2012

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 2nd, 2012 at 4:22 pm

One of my favorite films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was director Jake Schreier‘s Robot and Frank.  The film is set in the near future and centers on an elderly ex-jewel thief (Frank Langella) whose kids (James Marsden and Liv Tyler) give him a caretaker robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), sparking an unlikely friendship. Susan Sarandon plays a librarian who serves as Langella’s only friend.  Since premiering at the Festival, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films picked up the film for distribution, so you can expect to see it for yourself later this year.  For more on the film, you can read Matt’s review.

Right after seeing the film I got to sit down with Frank Langella for an exclusive interview.  During our extended conversation we talked about how he got involved in the project, how the script changed along the way, the design of the robot, the quick shooting schedule, filming on location, premiering it at Sundance, and a lot more.  In addition, Langella talked about writing his first book.  He told me, “It is called Dropped Names and it is about famous men and woman as I knew them from the age of 15 up to now, and I am dropping their names because they have dropped dead.  It is about famous people who are dead.”  Hit the jump for more.

Sundance 2012: ROBOT & FRANK Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 29th, 2012 at 6:05 pm

Not even ornery old men can resist the lure of a special robot friend.  Robot & Frank‘s hook is in its title, but it goes beyond what could have been the premise for a weekly sitcom.  Instead, the film puts together a strong juxtaposition between a man who’s started to forget everything and a robot who can remember anything.  It’s a familiar story about memory being tied to personality, but Robot & Frank throws in the importance of teaching and passion as a way to keep remembering (if only for a little while longer).  With the exception of a confused epilogue, director Jake Schreier and screenwriter and Christopher D. Ford have managed to build a warm, funny, and charming movie around a thoughtful premise.

Sundance 2012: ROBOT AND FRANK Acquired by Sony Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films Partnership

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 25th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

From Sundance 2012, Robot and Frank, was recently acquired by a partnership between Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films. The festival (and Collider) favorite stars Frank Langella, James Marsden and Liv Tyler in a near-future buddy comedy about an elderly ex-jewel thief (Langella) and his companion robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard). Steve loved Robot and Frank and will soon be posting exclusive interviews with director Jake Schreier, writer Christopher D. Ford and Langella himself. Hit the jump to check out the press release.

Sundance 2012: Sundance Film Festival USA to Include Films featuring Frank Langella, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Olsen, Vera Farmiga, and More

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 13th, 2011 at 12:52 pm

In September, we reported that the Sundance Film Festival would be taking its show on the road by offering a handful of festival selections to theaters across the country.  Sundance has now announced the nine films that might be coming to your city provided your city is Ann Arbor, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, San Francisco, or Tuscon.  This year’s Sundance Film Festival USA slate includes movies featuring Frank Langella, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Olsen, Vera Farmiga, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Isla Fischer, Adam Scott, and many more.

Hit the jump for the line-up and theater which each film will be playing.  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival will run from January 19 – 29th.  All Sundance Film Festival USA screenings will take place on January 26th.

Sundance 2012: New Images from ROBOT AND FRANK, PRICE CHECK, and RED LIGHTS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 6th, 2011 at 9:01 am

Yesterday, Sundance announced the line-up for their Premiere’s category.  This is where the biggest films will play but not necessarily the best.  The best movies I saw at Sundance this year were Project Nim and Martha Marcy May Marlene and both have stayed with me the past 11 months.  But there’s no reason great films can’t be part of the premieres category (Win Win was terrific), and hopefully 2012 will have more selections that leave a strong impression.

After the jump you’ll find images for Jake Schreier‘s Robot and Frank (starring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon), Michael Walker‘s Price Check (starring Parker Posey), and Rodrigo Cortés‘ Red Lights (starring Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, Elizabeth Olsen, and Toby Jones).  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th.

Sundance 2012: Premieres Line-Up Announced; Includes RED HOOK SUMMER, LAY THE FAVORITE, and WEST OF MEMPHIS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 5th, 2011 at 2:13 pm

Last week, we learned what the 2012 Sundance Film Festival had lined-up in its In-Competition categories, plus the out-of-competition Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=>, and New Frontier selections. But today Sundance has announced the heavy-hitters with the “Premieres” category.  That’s not to say these are the best films or the ones that will get the biggest buzz.  But they’re the ones that will pack the gigantic Eccles Theater bright and early every morning.

The Premieres category will include Spike Lee‘s Red Hook Summer, Rodrigo Cortes‘ Red Lights, Stephen Frears‘ Lay the Favorite, James Marsh‘s Shadow Dancer, Ice-T‘s Something from Nothing: The Art of Wrap, and the Peter Jackson-produced West Memphis Three documentary, West of Memphis.  There’s plenty more than these few films and you can check out the entire line-up after the jump.  The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th.

Liev Schreiber, Liv Tyler, James Marsden and More Board ROBOT AND FRANK

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 12th, 2011 at 1:37 pm

A number of actors have signed on for the family comedy Robot and Frank. Liev Schreiber, Liv Tyler, James Marsden, and Jeremy Strong join previously announced Susan Sarandon and Frank Langella in the Jake Schreier-directed indie. The comedy marks Schreier’s feature directorial debut. The script, by Christopher Ford, is set in the future and centers on an aging curmudgeon (Langella) whose kids (Marsden and Tyler) give him a caretaker robot (voiced by Schreiber), sparking an unlikely friendship with the lonely man. Sarandon plays a librarian who serves as Langella’s only friend.

Hit the jump to read the full press release. The film is currently shooting in New York.

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