In the wake of its recent spending spree, Apple continues to stock up on stars, as the streamer has just acquired the Justin Timberlake drama Palmer from director Fisher Stevens and SK Global.
In recent weeks, Apple has acquired the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Killers of the Flower Moon, the Will Smith film Emancipation, the Jake Gyllenhaal project Snow Blind, and Tom Hanks' naval war drama Greyhound, which cost the company more than $400 million. That's an average of at least $100 million per movie -- though that's a small price to pay to get into business with Hollywood's top talent, build a library, lure subscribers, and maybe even win a few awards.
Apple is also stepping up to the plate for female-fronted movies such as Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks starring Rashida Jones and Bill Murray, and the upcoming con artist movie Sharper starring Julianne Moore. The streamer also deserves credit for its very first release, the Geraldine Viswanathan drama Hala.
Come to think of it, Palmer actually boasts a trio of talented women -- Juno Temple, Alisha Wainwright and Oscar nominee June Squibb, who co-star alongside newcomer Ryder Allen.
Written by Cheryl Guerriero, whose script was voted to the 2016 Black List, the film follows Eddie Palmer (Timberlake), a former college football phenomenon who gets out of prison and returns to his hometown to get his life back on track. Not only does he face lingering conflicts from his past while there, but a much more surprising challenge awaits him, as he suddenly finds himself in charge of a unique young boy who has been abandoned by his wayward mother.
Palmer was produced by Sidney Kimmel, John Penotti, Charlie Corwin, Daniel Nadler and Oscar winner Charles B. Wessler, and executive produced by Robert Friedland, Terry Dougas, Jean-Luc De Fanti, Mark O’Connor, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis and Bruce Toll. The project was a co-production between SK Global, Rhea Films and Nadler No GMO Popcorn Co. in association with the Hercules Film Fund.
Timberlake is one of these good-looking guys who will never get the credit he deserves as an actor. I'm not saying he's Marlon Brando or anything, but in the right thing, he can be very good, as shown in The Social Network, Inside Llewyn Davis, Alpha Dog and, yes, Bad Teacher. I even loved his cameo in Popstar. Palmer sounds like it may be a little sappy and familiar, but perhaps it'll surprise me... just like Timberlake has as an actor.
For more on that Julianne Moore movie Sharper, click here, and if you're on the fence about subscribing to Apple TV+ and wondering if Greyhound is worth it, click here to read Matt Goldberg's review.