After terrorizing the United States for one night a year with The Purge franchise, filmmaker and screenwriter James DeMonaco is ready to kick back and take it easy with his next film. This Is the Night is not the title of a Purge spin-off, but rather a family drama that is intended to pay homage to cinema itself. In the story, a family struggles to face challenges, and ends up getting inspired by the movies.
For DeMonaco, this story is sort of a comeback to his roots. This Is The Night is set in Staten Island, the same city that shared a title with the director's feature film debut. This time, however, DeMonaco’s focus will be on family values rather than violence, but of course, this doesn’t mean it can’t get ugly.
When talking about This Is the Night, DeMonaco revealed it is a deeply personal story, and one that he’s been excited to tell for a while:
“I conceived this film as a love-letter to cinema. This is the Night is a passion project I’ve been waiting to make. A story based in my hometown of Staten Island, the film serves as a PSA: Movies bring us--people, families--together. There’s no time like the present to celebrate movies and how they inspire us.”
Set in the early 80s, This Is the Night captures the essence of the excitement in a whole city when everybody's excited for the release of a blockbuster film they've been looking forward to watching for a long time. This is told through the eyes of an Italian American family who start taking life lessons from Rocky III when they realize the fighter's struggles parallel their own. That's when they decide the best way to live is to do it like there is no tomorrow.
The cast features Naomi Watts, Frank Grillo, Lucius Hoyos, Jonah Hauer-King, River Alexander, Chase Vacnin, and Bobby Cannavale. Jason Blum and Sebastien K. Lemercier are producers on the film.
This is the Night will have a limited theatrical release at the Angelika Theater in New York on September 17, and you can already buy your tickets. Four days later, on September 21, This is the Night will be available for rent or purchase on digital streaming platforms.